We were a really, really good team. Everyone liked each other and worked well together. That was critical because I needed to ask a lot of them because the organization asked a lot of us. In a little more than 14 months, our team supported rolling out a new Human Resources Information System (huge project), acquired a new organization (major initiative), sold a division of our organization (emotional) and supported a successful de-certification election at one location (significant). Of those four major changes, only one was planned. I’m so proud of all they accomplished, but there was a price that was paid, and I noticed it in their exhaustion and engagement. I took it personally, believing I allowed too much change to happen all at the same time, even though I knew rationally that none of the changes could have been stopped.
With the gift of time, I still believe I failed them, but not by allowing too much change.
Rarely does life happen in small, easy to manage incremental changes. As a friend of mine often says, “life clumps on us”. Organizational leaders don’t wake up in the morning and say, “how much change can we heap upon our workforce?” Of course not, but sometimes the planned and unplanned hit at the same time. Often, like our changes, they couldn’t be put off, they had to be dealt with. A different type of clump for your staff is an organizational change, compounded by multiple personal changes, like navigating an unwanted divorce and/or, the health issues of a parent and/or a child going off to college.
What does research tell us about the pace of rapid change? A great question, not what I thought.
A 2019 study by The Change Lab, sought to learn if the pace of change was burning people out? If that was true, then if we could just reduce how much change happens, change would be more successful. It isn’t what they found. Their results showed no significant relationship between the pace of change and the level of perceived change success or workers’ wellbeing. It wasn’t how much change or the size of the change that determined success or not. Instead, it was:
How much support workers believed they received going through it.
Read that again. The amount of support we provide our team is what determines the success of the change and how they go through it.
If you’re a leader, you’re hoping I give you the recipe for the support they need. Unfortunately, the support needed won’t be the same for every situation, but a few things will help with any change.
Ask – Yes, ask those impacted what will help them make it through the changes that are staring them in the face. Leaders don’t like to ask because they fear the answer. I’ve found employees are extremely reasonable in what they ask for and making time to ask is significant.
Empathy – When they know you care about them amid the changes, that you notice the struggle and challenges, trust me they’ll feel better. A little empathy can super charge a person or a team.
Individual – Yes, what you do can be customized to meet the needs of each member of the team. One might want a schedule adjustment to make certain they get to a special event for a child or family, while someone else might ask not to lose their vacation pay (take it or lose it policy) because they can’t take time off, and still another will want something unique for them.
Team – While individual help is important, those individuals need to function at a high level together. Provide help where they are being held back. If they struggle with conflict, consider a coach to help them talk honestly with each other during high stress. Help should match the need.
My mistake was not fighting for more support through a season of rapid change. Don’t make my mistake, find out what is needed and fight to get them support.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
