Your Employee's Reactions to Change

Your Employee's Reactions to Change
Employees will always react to change...positive or
negative reactions. It doesn't matter if the change is
major or if it's a minor change to a process. People
react! So how do you as a manager handle your team's
reaction to a change?

Before you can evaluate your team's reactions, you first
need to become aware of your own reactions.

==>How Are You Reacting to Change?

-Do you support the change 100%?

-If not, why? You may have no choice but to implement a
change. How do you motivate your staff when you are not
entirely behind it? It's important to understand your own
reactions, as they will permeate all your efforts to get
your team on board.

-If the change is companywide, never express to your staff
that "the senior management" wants this done now. Why?
You are sending several messages to your team....you are
not behind it and you don't take full responsibility for
your role as their manager. The latter is a habit your
staff will quickly pick up.

-You may feel that there is too much work and it feels like
a luxury to stop and reflect on your staff's reactions.
Your team is there to work, so they need to get on board
quickly. Though I do agree that businesses need to move
quickly in this competitive environment, it's important to
add to the planning stage how employees may react to this
change. Without an understanding of your team's potential
reaction, you may not successfully implement the change.
Remember change occurs at the employee level.

-What is your response to your employee's reactions: Are
you annoyed, do you judge them for reacting, or are you
accepting and understand that people react.

-Are you knowledgeable about the business reasons for the
change? Managers are strapped for time and have many
responsibilities, so they don't always get all of the
details. Employees will recognize that information is
missing... and will fill in the blanks...so be informed.

==>How to Support Your Team Members

Some individuals fast track changes; others need to handle
each step deliberately.

-As employees become aware that there is a change brewing,
communicate to them as soon as possible. The grapevine
is very powerful and disruptive, so it's smart to decrease
potential negative responses.

-Make a list of all your employees and assess who is
potentially impacted and how they may react to the change.
Find your champion, as well as your greatest resister.
Both of them will be your partners in creating
change...though for different reasons. Your champions will
help promote the change. Your resisters will help you with
the design of the change and communication.

-Try to include your staff members in the process...gather
their concerns as soon as possible. They may also have
important points to add to the change process.

-Create a communication plan right from the beginning and
keep adding important messages to send out.

-Let them know that changes will evolve and you will inform
them along the way.

-Stress the benefits to them and let them know how this
change will make it easier for them.

-Listen to them...listen to their concerns, their fears,
their input.

==>Watch for Obvious and Subtle Resistances

Employees have different styles in resisting change. If
you anticipate ahead of time potential areas of resistance,
you can create a solution to handle the situation.

-The employee who seems on board, but never is able to
implement the change.

-Employee is still confused about what to do even though
you or someone else have given them instructions several
times.

-How does the employee respond to the change....actively
asking questions or passively accepting the change? -Are
they challenging the change...it doesn't make sense to them.

-Do they have a low tolerance to change? Any change
creates anxiety for them.

-Do they have a limited view of why the change is
necessary...only see how it affects them?

-Talk negatively to other employees about the change.

Since change is ongoing, you have probably handled
situations with employees around change. The more
analysis you can do upfront helps you communicate the
change in an effective and productive manner.

----------------------------------------------------
Pat Brill is the author of the blog "Managing Employees"
http://www.ManagingEmployees.net , "The Secrets of a
Successful Time Manager"
http://www.SuccessfulTimeManager.com and "Manager's Guide
to Performance Improvement."
http://www.GuideToPerformance.com . You can reach Pat at
pat@TheInfoCrowd.com