| | JUNE - 2023MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM8In MyOpinionWhy Change Leaders Should Embrace the Change CurveEven though employees understand the need to change, it still invokes the fear of the unknown in them. Whatever the reason for change and no matter who they are, people will go through a fairly standard set of emotional responses when experiencing it. Even when experiencing positive changes, people will still go through an adjustment period that can cause discomfort. When leaders can identify the pain points of their team and help employees navigate through the curve faster, change can begin to benefit the organization faster as well. After all, organizations must transform to stay competitive and profitable and change is the one constant in life, right? If that's true, then why do 70 percent of all change initiatives fail? Shock & DenialThe change curve begins with shock. As a change is initially announced, employees get stunned, resort to denial, and act disconnected. They hold on tightly to the way things have always been done and as a result, there can be a steep decline in productivity. At this early stage, change leaders need to offer support and reassurance, highlighting the need for the change and how it aligns with the company's vision and supports the overall strategy. A pitfall of many is to ignore employees as they are experiencing this and assume employees will come around on their own. Clear and constant communication is vital in these early stages.Frustration & DepressionIf not handled well, these next stages can be extremely disruptive to an organization since employees do not perform well when they are in these emotional states. Individuals can become angry and divisive and start blaming others for the changes taking place, before blaming themselves for the change. They often feel lost and experience a period of self-reflection, wondering if they should start job searching. In this stage, employees will find it difficult to focus and stay motivated.During these stages, change leaders need to keep their ears and eyes open for the potential barriers that may slow down change. Active listening and observing are key components to allowing employees to feel heard and valued when they are in this delicate state of mind. Training will also be a critical piece in helping people emerge from these stages. It will be essential that personalized employee training programs are ready and available to help bridge existing gaps and build confidence.By Mindy Stone-Szabo, Vice President of Learning & Development/Organizational Effectiveness, Papa Murphy'sEFFECTIVE CHANGE MANAGEMENT Reinforcing concepts and modeling expectations will help cement the change into the company's culture. Recognize even the smallest wins along the way and people will want to join in the celebration, slowly but surely
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