Most people hate change.  Because of this, there is a tendency for people and business to keep doing what is comfortable and what they know . . . whether it works or not.  It is easier to have consistency and predictability even if they are not efficient or effective.

Change is often implemented in crisis – when things (sales, productivity, staffing, finances and relationships) get bad enough to “stop doing what is not working”.  Crisis driven change is often a knee jerk reaction met with resistance and resentment and this is why change has such a bad reputation.

Change, both personal and professional, is usually a source of stress and anxiety for many employees.  This is closely related to the idea that people resist what they don’t understand or what feels forced.  Employees and people adjust better to change when they know what is coming, the rationale behind the change and how it will impact them on a daily basis.

Tips for implementing change that will be accepted and successful:

1.  Include your staff to identify problems as well as brainstorm solutions

2.  Identify and simplify the steps needed to implement change

3.  Create a timeline for the changes to be implemented

4.  Communicate and share the steps and timelines with all staff

Contact us at pam@thepossibilities.ca or 604-349-8660 to talk about managing change in your business or coordinating a training session for your staff (live or webinar).  Visit our corporate training topics to explore other areas where you can create change in your workplace such as our Building Better Bosses Program.