FEATURE
Overcoming negative consequences of transformational changes
While it ’ s important to spot the signs of change fatigue , and ask for support when needed , the ultimate goal must be to mitigate any further damage it could do to a company ’ s workforce .
Actively working to avoid change saturation is the key but in scenarios where it becomes impossible to avoid change fatigue , it is imperative to diagnose the situation as early as possible . This will prevent long-term negative impacts on individuals , teams , projects and other relevant stakeholders .
An important step in this direction is to understand and appreciate the emotional impact of change on employees . It ’ s crucial to understand if introducing a change triggers sadness , depression , anger or anxiety in employees and if experience of these negative emotions are adding to an employee ’ s fatigue . By doing this , managers demonstrate empathetic sensitivity to employees ’ concerns and thereby act in compassionate ways to devise plans tailored to each employee ’ s needs .
Another factor that is paramount in overcoming negative consequences of transformational changes is the transparent approach of senior leaders and management . Employees kept in the dark during repeated transformations can feel disempowered and sceptical to appreciating the value addition of the change . However , clearly articulating the change strategy , and then breaking down the planned change exercise into discrete phases , may help employees to better make sense of things .
Fending off future fatigue
Given the pressures of doing business today , change saturation and fatigue may seem inevitable , but developing the right capabilities can help businesses head off problems before they start .
While change communication is important , so is its timing . It is important to recognise that the impact of organisational change can sometimes be gauged only after a while . Announcements of big changes may come months or weeks before people begin to feel the effects on their daily working experiences , and these ripples can take the biggest toll .
That ’ s why businesses need to develop and integrate preventative measures as part of their change planning strategy . An organisation ’ s culture and climate play an important part in this . Businesses implementing preventive measures simply as a lip service often fail to engage employees and gain their trust during organisational transformations . It is vital that
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