Guide your company through changes brought on by crisis
By: David Pitre
Tags: Organization, Motivation, Success, Communication

Guide your company through changes brought on by crisis

To deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, your organization has likely had to change the way employees work. You’ve probably moved staff to a remote work environment. And you may be streamlining costs to respond to economic strains.

Although employees understand that change may be necessary, they may also be apprehensive. Left unaddressed, this uncertainty can quickly snowball into disengagement — or even resistance — to the change. And that’s a lose-lose for everyone involved.

For your change to be successful, you need employees to accept it. Here are three change communication strategies to help you achieve the engagement you need:

1. Deliver the right information at the right time. Employees need to understand not only what the change is, but also when to take action. That’s why you need to create timely communication that employees can rely on.

To do so, deliver relevant communication at the following milestones:

· When you introduce the change. Let employees know what’s coming, why things are changing and how it will benefit the company.

· Important initiative deadlines. Tell employees what they need to do differently and when.

· Key individual or team milestones. Provide progress updates.

· When a change is complete. Share lessons learned and provide next steps.

Keeping employees in the know is vital to creating engagement in your initiative. By communicating at key moments, you’ll give employees the support and motivation they need to adapt.

2. Get employees involved. If they’re being asked to change the way they work, employees will need more than a one-and-done explanation of what to do differently. Adults typically learn best by asking questions. So, be sure to create ample opportunities for interaction, especially with the leaders who are championing the change.

Here are a few ideas to get the dialogue started:

· Allow time for Q&A sessions during staff meetings or town halls so employees have a chance to talk about the change

· Host coffee chats with leaders devoted to open, frank conversations

· Encourage managers to host office hours when employees can voice concerns about obstacles the change may present

· Hold problem-solving sessions to brainstorm solutions for challenges related to what’s changing

Involving employees — and encouraging them to raise concerns — signals that your organization cares. Employees will be confident that their company has their best interests in mind, which will get employees invested and engaged.

3. Celebrate employees’ successes. Lots of thought may go into planning the change but bringing it to life is no walk in the park, either. That’s why it’s so important to pay tribute to your employees for their hard work. After all, they’re responsible for making the change happen.

Here are some suggestions to celebrate employees who’ve embraced what they need to do differently:

· Feature employee stories. Illustrate how your change helps drive success for employees, for teams and for the company.

· Tie recognition programs to the change. Acknowledge employees who’ve reached key milestones, such as achieving a cost-cutting goal or leading a successful large virtual meeting for customers.

Sharing wins — whether they’re company-wide or individual — is vital to building engagement in change. Remember: Recognizing those who go above and beyond builds pride and creates buy-in. If employees know their hard work is valued, they’ll be eager to engage with your change.

At first, organizational change can seem daunting to employees, especially during times of crisis. But there are steps you can take to make these adjustments feel less intimidating. Your company should provide timely change communication, opportunities for employee interaction and ways to share wins. That way, employees will be set up for success and ready to get involved.