COLLAPSE SUBDISCUSSIONCaleb BeardCaleb BeardYesterdayJan 12 at 8:28amManage Discussion EntryMarcus,I agree that having emotional...

“From leadership transitions and restructurings, to mergers and acquisitions, to regulatory changes, there seems to be constant unrest in the workforce. But according to one survey of more than half a million U.S. employees, almost one-third don’t understand why these changes are happening.” (Gailbraith, 2018). Considering all of these, it is essential for leaders to have the ability to communicate organizational change within the organization. Doing so enables employees to be more receptive and accepting of change initiatives, should they be adequately communicated. “Employees’ resistance to change is a leading factor for why so many change transformations fail.” (Gailbraith, 2018).

To achieve this, leaders cannot assume that employees immediately understand the changes’ reasoning. According to Galbraith (2018), leaders can do the following in order to ensure that employee correctly accepts the communication of change:

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  Inspire people by presenting a compelling vision for the future-“During times of uncertainty, people experiencing change want a clear view of the path ahead.”(Gailbraith, 2018). Employees must understand thewhy and knowthe change’s what, when, and hows.




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  Keep employees informed by providing regular communications-“Change communications is never a one-and-done event; keeping employees informed is something that you will have to do throughout every step of the change process.” (Gailbraith, 2018). Continual communication with your employees is a leading factor in the success of change initiatives.




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  Empower leaders and managers to lead through change- “Major changes or transformations often require asking employees to adopt specific behaviors or skillsets in order to be successful. And when senior leaders model the behavior changes, transformations are five times more likely to be successful.” (Gailbraith, 2018).




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  Find creative ways to involve employees in the change-“When planning for major change events, it is important to solicit feedback and engage people in the process. This helps build ownership in the change, and makes employees more likely to support the change and even champion it.” (Gailbraith, 2018). Recognize those individuals that are helping to embrace the change that is happening in the organization, and encourage their peers to recognize each other, as well.

References

Galbraith, M. (2018). Don’t Just Tell Employees Organizational Changes Are Coming -- Explain Why.Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 1–5.