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HOW TO HELP YOUR WORKFORCE ADAPT TO CHANGES IN THIS CONSTANTLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
HOW TO HELP YOUR WORKFORCE ADAPT TO CHANGES IN THIS CONSTANTLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

May 10, 2021

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Change is the world’s primary law. Sometimes, it is forced upon us, and other times, we get to choose. Either way, the influence of entropy remains incontestable. Thus, it makes sense to prepare for change, especially when we know that avoiding it isn’t an option. But, what does such a preparation even look like? In the case of voluntary or self-imposed changes, preparedness seems attainable. However, what of the changes that unexpectedly derail us? How can one ever prepare for them? Delving deeper into the problem, how can groups of individuals navigate change? The recent case of the business world adapting to remote work is a relevant example here. It gives us a verified framework to think about the problem at hand. More precisely, it nudges us to shift our focus from preparedness to adaptability (or rather, a mix of both). 

 

Business in a state of constant flux

In the business world, growing comfortable with trends and prevailing conditions can be fatal. It can open the room for unexpected change to sneak past everyone’s radar and wreak havoc. As we’re all aware, such has been the case with COVID-19. But, we’re not here to glorify the destructive prowess of change. PERSOLKELLY is here to arm businesses with six key ways to move through changes as effortlessly as possible. Let’s begin:

 

Take it slow

Navigating change with haste is a recipe for blunders. That’s why it’s important to nail the pace at which you introduce change. For example, if you’re thinking of implementing a new company-wide policy, give it a week-long test run and collect feedback afterwards. If all goes well, make the policy permanent. However, don’t introduce changes in one fell swoop. Doing so will not give you the room to identify low-hanging fruit. Going through changes too quickly will keep you from noticing small, easily identifiable strategic improvements that you can make. 

 

Prepare employees for change 

As we’ve talked about before, don’t introduce changes in one fell swoop. Instead, introduce the advent of changes as early as possible. For instance, if you’re planning on implementing a policy, notify employees about it well in advance. Doing so will help them prepare for what’s to come in their own time. Meanwhile, you can also flesh out your plans in greater detail by organizing informative sessions on proposed changes. We’ll talk about this in greater detail soon. 

 

Emphasize training 

Once you’ve notified employees of the changes in the pipeline, extend further support by providing necessary training. To make the point clearer, let’s imagine if COVID had never happened and you had to plan for a gradual shift to remote work. Notifying employees of your plans early on would have been the first step towards the successful implementation of your plan. Thereafter, you must engage in appropriate training to familiarize employees with video conferencing apps, efficient communication protocols, and other rudiments necessary for a smooth transition. Taking this extra pain will arm your workforce with the know-how to support your vision. 

 

Cultivate awareness

Effective top-down communication is the bedrock of everything we’ve discussed so far. From letting employees prepare for upcoming changes to training them for the same, nothing would be possible without apt communication. That begs the question: what is the essence of apt communication? Well, the answer here is simpler than expected: cultivating awareness. This means that whenever you’re introducing a change in the organization, make sure that your workforce is aware of its nuances. In other words, initiative company-wide awareness talks as well as individual-facing dialogues detailing the changes you’re hoping to implement. You can also make use of communication channels like email to inform employees of the far-reaching consequences of your plans. 

 

Acquire frequent feedback

Unless your entire workforce unifies in support of a change you make, it’ll always leave more to be desired. Thankfully, garnering unanimous support for company-wide changes is not as hard as it seems. In fact, a large part of the puzzle can be solved easily by acquiring frequent feedback. Knowing the reservations your employees have with the changes in the pipeline will help you in implementing necessary tweaks. Eventually, you’ll reach a point where the change in question will become an item to look forward to for everyone in the organisation. So garnering employee feedback can help you in understanding the pulse of your workforce and help craft communication that addresses concerns, queries and issues if any, accordingly. 

 

Be precise with your vision and incentivize early adopters 

Organizational changes are never made in a vacuum. Every time top-level executives brainstorm a company-wide change, they do so with a clear vision in mind. As we’ve discussed before, higher-ups need to share that vision across the organisation. But, we’d like to emphasise that merely fleshing out a rough outline isn’t enough. You need to acquaint employees with the precise improvements your intended changes will bring. Be as specific as possible when sharing your vision. On top of that, it’s also wise to incentive early adopters. That’s because employees who embrace changes early on lead by example and influence others to do the same. 

 

Conclusion

If the last year or so is any indicator, businesses must never downplay the influence of sudden, all-encompassing change. They must always foster a healthy dose of preparedness and adaptability across the entire workforce. Start with the tips explained above and ‘adapt’ as necessary. 

 

This article was originally published on PERSOLKELLY blog here 


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