FEATURE
EMPLOYEES REACT TO CHANGE IN A VARIETY OF WAYS , INCLUDING HOW THEY EXHIBIT FATIGUE FROM CHANGE SATURATION .
Dr Surbhi Sehgal , Organisational Psychologist and MBA Course Leader at the University of Brighton employers and business leaders visualise these measures as not just as a tick box exercise but as an opportunity to enhance employee wellbeing during change .
While the world of business has made considerable progress in championing employee wellbeing , in many sectors , there are still some negative attitudes around taking wellbeing leave , flexible working and proactive rest . It is vital that leaders walk the talk and create a healthy workplace environment for people to manage any symptoms of fatigue in a constructive manner .
Leading organisational change
While it is crucial for business leaders and managers to understand the three elements of managing fatigue , often an individual ’ s response and their coping strategy depend on how change is led within an organisation .
A recent example of this was during the COVID-19 pandemic when industries such as hospitality and tourism were reeling under pressures to downsize . Many small and large organisations had to make difficult decisions around staff redundancies . However , AirBnB , under the leadership of Brian Chesky , became a classic case study on how to deliver tough messages in transparent and compassionate manner .
I always encourage business leaders to reflect on their leadership style . In the context of change leadership , it is important that leaders actively discover how they can positively influence employees ’ reactions to change by becoming more aware and attuned to their emotional cycles . This comes down to furthering knowledge around the support employees need at different phases of their emotional cycles of change , something I believe the Help to Grow : Management Course delivers well .
Course participants are given real-life case studies and examples of how change fatigue can negatively impact their workforce . Having worked through a variety of scenarios , business leaders are better equipped to anticipate challenges applicable in the context of their own businesses and devise a plan that ensures change happens as smoothly as possible .
Any time an organisation embarks on a change initiative , it ’ s important for people in power positions to build interpersonal and institutional trust . While there cannot be a one-size-fitsall approach , there is robust evidence that successful change can be achieved through actively listening to employees , creating clear and persuasive communication and taking necessary steps to reduce the risk of change fatigue in the workplace . x
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