How can you work with your employees to embrace change?

Great responses. I would also like to emphasize the need for honesty on the part of the company for the reasons behind the change. Treat the employees as senior management would like to be treated. In the past, this notion may have been thought of as naïve. The common modus operandi was to keep the employees in the dark so management could steer the ship in any direction it wanted. In today’s world, more employees are better educated with significantly more experience. They can read between the lines more easily than in years past and sniff out insincerity on the part of management.

For example, I am familiar with one Fortune 200 company that is currently under-going significant organizational change (lean) that will substantively reduce headcount in a few years. While knowledgeable lower-to-mid-tier employees have commented about “the handwriting on the wall”, the company is withholding this information from the masses, thus engendering future ill-will on the part of those that remain as well as those who will be let go. While being upfront with employees may result in the departure of some in the intervening years, those employees will have departed on their own terms rather than having been summarily dismissed. Those that remain will know that their contribution is valued. In total, ill-will is reduced.

Treat people with respect, involve them in the change process (to include the contribution of their own ideas for operational enhancement), and provide a means to disseminate the results of measurable improvements.

I think the most important part of any "change" initiative is the WHY. So many changes (reorganizations, reassignments, acquisitions, promotions, etc.) are misunderstood because the logic behind the changes is never discussed.

Changes all too often are announced (to Cantor's point) and people do not understand the reasons and thinking behind them.

A comprehensive communication plan before, during and after will make changes much more palatable for many people,

Make the employees part of the change process - from the start. When people have ownership in a process or product they are much more likely to give it ongoing support.

Make the employees the ambassadors of change. All too often we see the "talking head" CxO telling us how great everything is going to be in the future under the new way of doing things. They are usually the people who are least affected by the change. Have employees deliver the message instead.

Build in a feedback mechanism - and then use it. Historically employee reaction to change (good and bad) was discussed around the water cooler. Now it's discussed at the speed of light in a variety of forums. Give the employees an open, safe forum in which to express their thoughts, opinions and suggestions.

Adapt the change plan and process to internal and external factors. Then communicate the new plan. All too often we develop a plan with a specific target and a bunch of ROI measurements. And then we blindly march towards that goal. Be flexible and demonstrate to employees that their voice really does count.

Based on my experience, the single most important thing you can do as a Change Champion is get people involved--don't let it appear that change is coming down from the top with no consideration or input from the masses. Employees are people and as such we like to be involved and communicated with.

Some ideas I've used:

1. Employee Steering Committees--6-8 people from all facets of work (shop floor, admin, HR, Accounting, team leaders thru supervisors) on a committee to provide input, updates, and guidance on the Change. Involved in analysis and decisionmaking. Rotate committee members so as to get the most employees involved.

2. Communications--constant updates and highlights of achievements thus far. Town Hall meetings, website Q&As and updates, mass e-mails( with brief highlights of accomplishments, what's next, employee recognition for someone going above-and-beyond on the project, et al.). Also, Town Halls need to be run by members of the Employee Steering Committee for greater effectiveness.

3. Eating an Elephant--How do you do this? One bite at a time, as the cliche goes. For ease of digesting the "Change", break the "Change" into pieces or phases.

4. Combating resistance to Change--As you build your case for the Change, assess issues and problems, confirm your understanding of the issues, people, etc., determine who the resisters are--certain people or depts or functions? Once identifed, get them involved in early-on discussions, put them on the Employee Steering Committee, utilize them for input and feedback on the project. All these efforts help to reduce resistance, where in some cases the early-on resistors will become your staunchest supporters for the project.

5. Use a standard Change Management Model--there are many. Via introduction to the masses prior to starting the Change, you can help employees to understand the framework of the Change. It will be easier to follow for them. Models may include: Prosci, RASCI, Drotter, Change Roadmap, or P-CMM. These standardize the Change and ensure consistent methodology.

You get the idea: get people involved at every level and in every facet. Communications is one way to do that and one of the most effective to help guarantee success of the project.

Actually people do not categorically fear and resist change, they only fear and resist change for the worse. Few people fear and resist a salary increase, for example, or a new iPhone to replace their old Nokia. And no one seemed to mind when they stopped producing B&W televisions with bunny rabbit ear antennas, either.

So, the best way to help people embrace change is to help them see how it will benefit them. That's right, not you, them. This assumes there actually is a benefit, either to them personally or in terms of the company in general (which should translate into some personal benefit unless you're really missing the mark with the proposed change).

So, for example, say you're introducing a new process that requires more work or new knowledge. You want to assure people they will be trained and supported, point out any new skills they will gain and also explain how the company will benefit from better information or , which will in turn translate into better performance, more opportunity for everyone, etc.

The best example I ever saw of this was a sales executive asking the sales team to keep the sales pipeline updated and current so the company would have accurate forecasting information. He explained that he knew it was more work but without that information the executive team wouldn't be able to accurately plan new people and product investments, which in turn would hurt sales overall and ultimately, each sales rep's personal quota.

He also - and this is very important for embracing change as well - expressed his sincere appreciation for the extra work he was requesting. It was just an email but you sat up straighter when you read it.

Change is not only in negative change, employees always want to create comfort zone in a organization. if any changes happened over a period of time they are not ready to accept, because they think that change may influence for their job.
The best way to over come from that fear is to understand the purpose of change and how it is going to be beneficial for them.
earlier assessment of an employee based on his work and contribution. but HR policies have changed now 360 degree appraisal system. each and every senior employee identify the talent of an employee .

http://www.nichesuite.com/

I think Steve's response is good. As Rosabeth Moss Cantor says- "Change is an opportunity when done with me and a threat when done to me"
Context and congruency (alignment with their values) are critical to effective, sustained change.

Being thoughtful in how change is presented -
1. Being clear about the desired outcome(s).
2. Listening deeply to the resistance. There is usually something useful in it.

All the comments above are key. I’ll add that because there are many flavors and degrees of change, the approach to leading change will need to be very situational and will likely be based at least on the scope and complexity of the change, and the environment and stakeholder audience that will be touched. Most of my experience is with human change that is caused by implementing major new IT systems. And the battle I frequently have to fight is the view that Organizational Change Management (OCM) is primarily just the training and communications piece of the overall Project Management plan. True, there are specific tasks and events that can be planned up-front, but even more important is the continuous assessment of the audience’s ability and motivation to change, then determining what additional targeted actions are needed to help the most impacted and the most influential (opinion leaders) make the transition.

Change is never easy. From your first step to the reorganization of a company the process can be very stressful and painful. This is why there are change managers and change plans and other apparatus to try and mitigate the impact of what is occurring. Bring the workers into the process sooner rather than latter is smart and prudent. The workers are stakeholders and should be treated as such. Even through senior manage must buy off on the changes, it is the workers who can make or break the final result. Remember that respect is earned by your actions and not just acquired by your position or title.

When introducing change in the workplace (in remote Australian indigenous communities) the process is much more difficult, and frustrating, than in the mainstream. It takes time and patience to be able to do so. The most practical way that I have found of doing so is to involve the local elders and to take their advice. This can go a long way to overcome the cultural problems that are involved.

Terrence - Clearly indigenous communities are organized differently, and they are justifiably and strongly sensitive to the impact of changes brought to them by outsiders working from a different set of values, experience and intention. Your framing of the process being difficult and frustrating is an interesting dimension to explore.

Lots of great answers here. One strategy that I’ve found very successful includes getting people to identify and discuss their frustrations with their current state of operations.

When consulting, I find that “negative stakeholders”, the people most resistant to change, are easier to engage by first asking “what works well” with the way they’re working today and then asking what really stinks about the current system. Once the latter is out in the open, we focus on correcting these “pain points” and things go swimmingly.

I think it’s essential to increase people’s comfort level by demonstrating that you’re going in with a scalpel and not a chainsaw. They must understand and believe that you’re going to preserve what works and replace what doesn’t.

I look to the concept of attraction or "pull" for the answer. Rather find ways to push change or manage it, identify what attracts people and incorporate the attraction into change. What the Internet is telling us is that people don't want to be sold, they want to buy.

For employees to embrace change with enthusiasm, trust must be part of the culture. If employees trust their leaders, they will be more likely to accept the change in a positive manner.

Secondly they must be involved in the process of change, and be able to see the benefits for all concerned.

Ignorance breeds distrust and negativity!

It's easier said than done, but you should tell them what the overall goal is and leave them to figure out the process. This way, they'll take ownership for it.

If you try to control the process as well as the outcome, then you will own it all and be left with the task of persuading others.

Since it's human nature to be "scared" of change,
it's but natural that whenever there's a hint for one,
a bit of resistance would be felt.

Hence, make them understand the current situation
and "what would be" (including the process, etc.)
for the organization and everybody
once change has been successfully implemented.

Is showing them the "big picture" enough? No.
They need more than words, and as a leader,
you need to back up what you say with action...

...Firm and Sincere.

This is @TheGreatLight.

Decisiveness. Value. Follow Through.

Although there are always a few who simply resist change, and you are never going to change that (pun intended), most people embrace positive motion.

Change that is resisted usually originates from leadership prone to flavor-of-the-month initiatives, often a result of a new consultant, the latest seminar attended or book read. Such reactive change is seldom accompanied by follow through, and employees are left with the sinking feeling that they are yet again to be subjected to a time-sucking black hole of unproductive make-work.

If the change has the positive motion of value, if it WILL be followed through, then be proactive and decisive. I do not ever encourage change by committee, nor should one seek consensus in change circumstance. Back to the unproductive black hole. However, the most effective change initiatives I have encountered were led by a week of anticipation building. Generate excitement and anticipation so you have everyone's attention when the change is announced, then immediately follow through with the necessary infrastructure to facilitate the success of your team in implementation.

Together, let's put the fun back into work!
Belldon Colme
belldoncolme@gmail.com