One reason that staff may resist change is if they don’t think they will be comfortable in the new job environment or able to meet the new standards etc. If a change, particularly a fundamental change, is imposed within a company, a proportion of the staff affected will be bound to be dissatisfied. It is important to listen to their concerns and not to dismiss them out of hand – some of their worries

The nature of change

Change is all around us. Changes can be small or large, but the overall impression they create is of a world that is in a constant state of flux. Change may be welcome, but for many of us, the reaction to certain changes will be one of automatic resistance, which in turn often results in stress.

To accept change is akin to getting used to a new pair of shoes. The new shoes may be more waterproof, more hardwearing and better looking than our old ones, but they will almost certainly not be more comfortable until they are worn in. The amazing thing is that (assuming they are the right size and they fit properly) we often cannot envisage how or why we were so reluctant to put them on in the first place.

By definition, going forward involves some change, in order to keep on course. An organisation is either continually improving or it is failing, because no successful organisation can afford to simply ‘stand still’. This is why it’s so important that employees are given all the tools they need to help them embrace change and new ways of working – i.e. to feel comfortable in their ‘new shoes’.

Why is change so difficult to handle?

People are programmed into a pattern of behaviour with which they feel safe (their ‘comfort zone’). Change can threaten this feeling of safety, and people can feel disempowered by change - particularly if it is imposed on them or challenges their accepted thinking. It is therefore vital for people to understand clearly why imposed changes are necessary, and how those changes will impact them, their position, their responsibilities, and possibly their remuneration and future prospects.

One reason that staff may resist change is if they don’t think they will be comfortable in the new job environment or able to meet the new standards etc. If a change, particularly a fundamental change, is imposed within a company, a proportion of the staff affected will be bound to be dissatisfied. It is important to listen to their concerns and not to dismiss them out of hand – some of their worries m

To accept change is akin to getting used to a new pair of shoes. The new shoes may be more waterproof, more hardwearing and better looking than our old ones, but they will almost certainly not be more comfortable until they are worn in. The amazing thing is that (assuming they are the right size and they fit properly) we often cannot envisage how or why we were so reluctant to put them on in the first place.

By definition, going forward involves some change, in order to keep on course. An organisation is either continually improving or it is failing, because no successful organisation can afford to simply ‘stand still’. This is why it’s so important that employees are given all the tools they need to help them embrace change and new ways of working – i.e. to feel comfortable in their ‘new shoes’.

Why is change so difficult to handle?

People are programmed into a pattern of behaviour with which they feel safe (their ‘comfort zone’). Change can threaten this feeling of safety, and people can feel disempowered by change - particularly if it is imposed on them or challenges their accepted thinking. It is therefore vital for people to understand clearly why imposed changes are necessary, and how those changes will impact them, their position, their responsibilities, and possibly their remuneration and future prospects.

One reason that staff may resist change is if they don’t think they will be comfortable in the new job environment or able to meet the new standards etc. If a change, particularly a fundamental change, is imposed within a company, a proportion of the staff affected will be bound to be dissatisfied. It is important to listen to their concerns and not to dismiss them out of hand – some of their worries

By definition, going forward involves some change, in order to keep on course. An organisation is either continually improving or it is failing, because no successful organisation can afford to simply ‘stand still’. This is why it’s so important that employees are given all the tools they need to help them embrace change and new ways of working – i.e. to feel comfortable in their ‘new shoes’.

Why is change so difficult to handle?

People are programmed into a pattern of behaviour with which they feel safe (their ‘comfort zone’). Change can threaten this feeling of safety, and people can feel disempowered by change - particularly if it is imposed on them or challenges their accepted thinking. It is therefore vital for people to understand clearly why imposed changes are necessary, and how those changes will impact them, their position, their responsibilities, and possibly their remuneration and future prospects.

One reason that staff may resist change is if they don’t think they will be comfortable in the new job environment or able to meet the new standards etc. If a change, particularly a fundamental change, is imposed within a company, a proportion of the staff affected will be bound to be dissatisfied. It is important to listen to their concerns and not to dismiss them out of hand – some of their worries

Why is change so difficult to handle?

People are programmed into a pattern of behaviour with which they feel safe (their ‘comfort zone’). Change can threaten this feeling of safety, and people can feel disempowered by change - particularly if it is imposed on them or challenges their accepted thinking. It is therefore vital for people to understand clearly why imposed changes are necessary, and how those changes will impact them, their position, their responsibilities, and possibly their remuneration and future prospects.

One reason that staff may resist change is if they don’t think they will be comfortable in the new job environment or able to meet the new standards etc. If a change, particularly a fundamental change, is imposed within a company, a proportion of the staff affected will be bound to be dissatisfied. It is important to listen to their concerns and not to dismiss them out of hand – some of their worries

One reason that staff may resist change is if they don’t think they will be comfortable in the new job environment or able to meet the new standards etc. If a change, particularly a fundamental change, is imposed within a company, a proportion of the staff affected will be bound to be dissatisfied. It is important to listen to their concerns and not to dismiss them out of hand – some of their worries may be valid and it is important for management to acknowledge this.

How to make change work

If your organisation is contemplating a major change, you can help to facilitate this by taking account of the following:

• Think through the change and what is required of the personnel affected, in detail, so that a clear plan of implementation is available. Be aware that some retraining may be necessary and have a plan of action ready to implement this.

• Staff will respond best if they feel involved in the decision-making. Maybe they cannot be involved in all the major decisions, but their implementation will involve a number of smaller steps and they can almost certainly be involved somewhere (and add value by bringing in their experience).

• Everyone copes better with change if they feel at least in partial control of it. It is the feeling of being out of control that can be frightening to most of us. So involve your staff, as far as possible, in their own areas of the change. Perhaps set up an implementation team involving a member of staff from within each department and reporting up to - and down from -management.

• Keep everyone informed as far as is possible of timetables and details. The imagination and concerns of staff can run riot when they are kept in the dark, particularly if they are anxious about the change. Regular meetings are essential and even if time is short, don’t abandon them. Make sure that the planned changes are clearly understood at all levels.

• Don’t give in to the temptation to impose changes without consultation. Unless you can persuade your staff to buy into the change by means of the steps above, they may leave or become de-motivated, neither of which will benefit the company. Similarly, a culture of fear (where staff are actively discouraged from conveying concerns or showing vulnerability) is counterproductive.

• Everyone works