How effective communications can combat change fatigue
By Kara Pederson
Early in my career my company changed so frequently that I started avoiding the subject when talking with my mom.
She would ask curiously, “How’s your job going?”, and after explaining about my new team, my new boss, different business partners, she would exclaim, “Your company is always changing. How do they expect you to get anything done?”
Even my mom had change fatigue.
During times of change, details are unclear. Answers fluctuate and are no longer black and white. Living in the “grey zone” is exhausting. Not understanding your position, scope or purpose will drain anyone and create a loss of productivity. It is the role of communications to bring clarity to chaos and continue driving understanding and engagement long after the initial announcement.
Digging in on “why”
Change for the sake of change creates fatigue. Team members lack understanding of the reason for extra work or the benefits they’ll see. This type of change just feels pointless and drives inertia. Instead, change must be framed within a structure to help everyone understand the what, why and how of any initiative. The announcement must clearly state the reason and benefits for change, including what team members stand to personally gain. “What’s in it for me” is important to motivate team members to learn something new or operate differently. When you draw out this business change to how it better positions the company for stability, growth, risk avoidance, etc. and what that means for their own employee experience and opportunity, they will be more encouraged to actively support the change.
Managers as change champions
Announcing change alone doesn’t make it happen. Illustrating the “how” change will happen with opportunities to learn, train, redesign, model, etc. is a critical component. Middle management will be an important stakeholder during this phase. This layer of the organization understands the details that must be addressed to build a bridge from point A to point B. They are also critical to balancing the workload and supporting their teams to still do their day jobs. Creating a forum for middle management to discuss their questions and concerns will better empower them to address change within their teams.
Co-Create the change
Once you’ve created an understanding for the reason to change and how you’ll get there, invite team members to be part of the change. Think of any change in your life where you have been part of creating the end product vs. being a passive observer. Did you embrace the outcome? Did you feel ownership? Could you agree with decisions, even when you couldn’t satisfy all desires? These are the opportunities you’re creating when you allow team members to co-create the change. They feel heard, can rationalize decisions, and actively support the change initiative.
Co-creation can begin with Q&A sessions that address concerns transparently. In all likelihood, ideas or concerns will arise that haven’t previously been thought of. See these concerns not as resistance, but as a gift to be able to address them early on while still in the development stages. The person who raised the concern can be included in future working sessions and eventual roll-out of the solution. Not only will they be a strong advocate amongst those most impacted by change, but also knowing that the necessary details were addressed and attended to will decrease cynicism and fatigue.
Celebrate frequently
Remember to circle back to the full group that you announced the change to for sharing progress and accomplishments. Celebrate each milestone. Regularly update the team on what you’ve learned along the way as well as issues you’ve identified and resolved. Share examples of how individual’s actions are supporting change. Recognize team members who have been proactive. All of these positive developments create a steppingstone path that others can easily follow. When you have momentum and ownership, it no longer feels like fatigue. It feels like achievement, goal attainment, better positioning, positive trade-offs, and most importantly, progress. Change is no longer happening to them but with and because of them.
So now when someone asks, “how is work?”, the response is not one of being tired and worn out, but a message of exciting things happening.
With over 20 years of experience specializing in executive and internal communications partnership, Kara Pederson provides strategic counsel to ensure timely, thoughtful communication that enables successful change. She is passionate about providing the information and motivation employees need to move through change and align to company goals and growth aspirations.
