Change in business is almost always a good thing, but poor management can leave the workforce disengaged and the process painful – in the worst cases doing irreparable damage. It doesn’t have to be that way. Follow these nine steps to lead your people successfully through major organisational change.
1. Understand the change
Make sure you understand exactly what is changing and how it affects your people. Educating yourself means you’re better equipped to communicate, gives staff confidence that you’re the right person to lead them, and relieves their anxieties because they can trust you to keep them informed and look after their interests.
2. Communicate effectively
Regular, varied communication is essential. Initial briefings should be face to face, delivered by an appropriately senior manager with a natural style who engages rather than alienates the audience. Going forward, set up a recognised channel – a micro-site, newsletter or bulletin – to control the flow of information, keeping the tone upbeat and the positive messages a recurring theme.
3. Consult with your people
Consult staff on their views and provide clear channels for those opinions – an email address for questions, or a message board on your micro-site – and respond swiftly. Publishing an FAQ prevents answering the same question repeatedly and helps shape future communications. Even if the change is mandatory, communication must be a two-way street, or you risk outright mutiny.
4. Use your champions
Identify the people who are positive about the change, especially those who are popular or hold sway with colleagues. Get them on side, meet with them regularly and explain the important role they play in helping others stay upbeat. They’re also your eyes and ears, picking up concerns or flashpoints early and raising them with you in confidence.
5. Manage the dissenters
The negative voices are often the loudest and most influential, and those who are undecided can be swayed by them. Speak to dissenting staff individually, show empathy for their concerns, but explain the impact their open negativity has on colleagues. Try to involve them constructively – but if their behaviour remains extreme and deliberately disruptive, be clear that it isn’t acceptable and could have consequences.
6. Engage with unions
If your business recognises one or more unions, engage fully with them throughout, and consult senior HR for advice and support. Excluding union representatives from meetings or briefings is unwise; there will inevitably be points of contention, but maintaining an open, amicable dialogue is essential.
7. Maintain the business
Don’t let your team lose focus on day-to-day responsibilities. Some impact on productivity is inevitable during major change, but there’s a limit – remind staff their normal roles still remain, and plan briefings and communications to minimise the impact on your resources and your customers.
8. Toe the line
A lack of professionalism or objectivity from managers can spell disaster. Even if you have concerns about the change or your seniors’ judgment, don’t reveal them – maintain the agreed line and express the changes in positive, objective terms. If you need a sounding board, confide carefully, ideally through confidential, independent channels such as an employee assistance line.
9. Manage outside influences
Major change may attract attention from the press or interest groups, particularly if your organisation is large, in the public sector, or in a regulated or contentious industry. You can rarely control external media, but you can keep your finger on the pulse so you can react quickly if an outside event is likely to cause disruption or concern. Plan ahead, stay in control, and keep your employees bought in to the objectives – and you can lead people through even the most major change unscathed.