Ch-ch-changes! Ten Tips for Keeping Employees Engaged During Them
1. Plan Ahead
It’s not uncommon for those of us who manage from the middle to find that the planning,
execution, and pace of communication around organizational change is outside the scope of our control. But we can still plan ahead. We can focus our planning efforts on the people we support--think about what the change means on an individual level, how you want each person to feel about the change, their differences in work and communication styles, and repare to pull each employee into the vision.
2. Know where you are going
There is nothing more grounding during times of change than knowing
where you are going, and nothing more reassuring than believing you can get
there. It is our job to articulate the purpose and advocate the change in a way
that is meaningful and actionable at the team and individual level.
3.Give them something to stand behind
Re-energize employees around the organization’s core mission--the WHY you exist. Remind everyone of how it has been a great source of success and security in the past, and show them how it remains the center around which everything else can change. Re-engage each one in the big picture, and show them where their contribution has been, and continues to be, meaningful.
4. Set the tone
Effective and enthusiastic communication is crucial to building a common purpose across an organization. During times of change, communicate early, communicate with intent, and communicate often. Influence attitudes and behavior by communicating
confidently and positively. Most importantly, be authentic. Tell them what you
don’t know. If you’re not sold on the change yourself, share your reservations
and set the example for moving toward acceptance.
5. Acknowledge the loss
Change involves loss--the loss of the way it was before—and we cannot
move people towards acceptance of change unless we understand and acknowledge
what it is they stand to lose. Make time to meet each person and ask them how
they feel about the change; discuss current experiences, pain points, and fears.
Understand the loss they feel, and acknowledge the loss without challenging it.
6. What’s in it for them
While acknowledging the loss is important to maintaining engagement, we can foster acceptance and build engagement by off-setting the loss with a gain. Champion the change by forging connections between the goals of the organization and the individual talents and aspirations of those on the team. If you don’t know what your people aspire to, ask them! Find out where they want to go, and identify opportunities that help them get there.
7. Think inclusion
While it’s true that people are more likely to support what they helped create, it’s not feasible to include everyone impacted by an organizational change in its planning. We can, however, take action to broaden the level of inclusion once the change is actionable at the team level. Engage employees in the process of adjusting their team’s vision, mission, and goals to align it with the organization’s strategy. Include them through open dialogue and give them an opportunity to be heard.
8. Favor Freedom
When employees perceive an organizational change as infringing on
the level of autonomy they established and enjoyed prior the change, they are
less likely to adapt gracefully. But if we stay focused on results and paint a
clear picture of the desired outcomes for individual and company success, we
provide employees with a broad, mission-focused, framework from which they can
define their own path to success--we create an environment where rules can be
kept at a minimum and employees are engaged in the success of the company.
9. Lean into the Dip
Teams have to grow and bond together over time, and there will inevitably be an in-between period when the old is gone and the new isn’t fully functioning. Move people toward acceptance of the change by celebrating small wins and rewarding the successes of the new team. Be proactive and mediate conflict in ways that embody the new team mindset, and use problem solving as an opportunity to foster collaboration.
10. Observe and Reassess
We are all motivated by unique impulses that inform how we react to
change, any change. Be observant and notice what is going on around you, build
feedback loops into the process wherever possible, create dialogue, encourage
team members to share information openly, and LISTEN. Tell them what you can do, and ALWAYS do what you say.
Lisa Forsyth is currently the Director of Application Engineering at msnbc.com. You can learn more about her at her site at the Employee Engagement Network.
