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It is said that the only constant in life is change, and that applies just as much to the business world as it does to personal life. Many employees perceive workplace changes as disruptive and untenable, leading to decreased morale and declining performance. As a leader, it’s important to identify which types of changes are foreseeable so you can prepare your team to navigate them with intention.
Personnel changes
One type of change that is inevitable in any workplace is turnover. Even if your organization strives to keep employees for the long term, every team is going to experience the arrival of new talent and the departure of old colleagues.
It is crucial, therefore, to avoid siloed work. If one person spearheads a project and no one else has any sense of the scope or progress, your team will struggle mightily if that person leaves or switches roles. Additionally, siloed work can lead to division among team members as they compete for the best projects, decreasing the potential for innovation that springs from collaboration.
Mergers and acquisitions are also common in today’s fast-paced business environment. These changes often bring a completely new dynamic to an existing team. When a change of this nature is coming, open communication with your team is crucial to boost trust and maintain productivity and morale.
Organizational changes
Every organization is going to face structural changes over time. Sweeping systemic change such as company reorganization or technology overhauls can cause anxiety among employees both seasoned and new. For these changes, communication is key.
Don’t make the mistake of assuming that changes in the C-suite won’t affect the average employee. Leadership is responsible for setting the vision and culture of an organization, and a team’s sense of cohesion can be significantly affected by organizational changes. Any efforts made towards informing employees about the new leadership’s sense of direction will help prevent the rumor mill from tanking team morale and output.
When it comes to technology updates, the adoption of new software should be planned as far in advance as possible and with plenty of input from the team members who will be using the programs every day. If there is a plan to incorporate artificial intelligence, communication about the risks and benefits of the decision is key to getting everyone on board.
Goal changes
Goal-setting is ubiquitous in the business world, but there is not a lot of information out there on what to do when your set goals need to change. Sometimes you achieve your goals more quickly than anticipated and must set new ones; other times, due to unforeseen circumstances, you’re forced to adjust the goals you originally set.
All of this registers as further change for team members. If an employee was working diligently toward a goal only to find out leadership changed their mind, they may become confused or even disillusioned.
According to Forbes, if a goal set by leadership fails, it’s because there was no team buy-in. Whether you’re setting big, overarching goals for the year or tweaking your goals for this quarter, it is crucial to involve the entire team to maximize your chances of success. Forbes recommends four strategies to avoid failed goals:
- Involve employees in goal-setting from the beginning
- Focus on the strengths already present on the team
- Allow as much freedom on the team as possible to boost creativity
- Be specific about desired outcomes
Craft a resilient team
Personnel, organizational, and goal changes are foreseeable obstacles any team must routinely navigate. As a leader, it is important to know that your team is equipped and ready to face whatever might come their way.
If your team is struggling with change – whether it’s related to a merger, a goal, or new leadership – you don’t have to solve it alone. Download our free guide, “Mastering Team Building: How to Create and Manage a High-Performance A-Team” today for actionable steps that will foster a positive work environment while driving strong team performance.
