Helping Employees Deal with Change in the Workplace

By John Heniff, Safety Writer, Magid

Businesses experience change every day. Some changes are minor and easy to make, but others are significant and life-altering for employees. And while more adaptable workers may simply need a quick mental adjustment to embrace new changes on the job, others may feel overwhelmed if they have trouble letting go of the old way of doing things. Finding the right way to implement and monitor changes can mean the difference between a smooth transition or a daily struggle in your busy schedule. Here are five ways to make change easier in your workplace.

1. EXPLAIN THE CHANGE

It might be tempting to tell workers about a change and ask them to pivot immediately toward a new objective. But it’s much more effective to describe why the change is occurring to get them on-board with the reasoning behind it. Use open communication and make sure that the “Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How” is clear to all affected workers so they don’t feel confused or left out of the loop from the beginning. Taking that extra time helps people understand that changes are made for their safety.

2. USE CHANGE MANAGEMENT TRAINING SESSIONS

Hold training sessions to go over new responsibilities, new regulations, or other company changes. If the topic is specific to your business, you can create your own presentations. If you’re implementing standard regulations or guidelines, you may be able to use ready-made safety training presentations or reminder videos.

3. SET UP AVENUES FOR SUCCESS

Use the Power of Empowerment to get people invested. Organize small meetings to provide updates, encourage communication, and show how much progress everyone has made toward new goals. Create well-communicated department and company milestones so employees understand any new roles and how they can contribute toward future goals. Recognizing workers for their hard work is a great way to boost morale and keep their minds focused.

4. LISTEN TO WORKERS’ CONCERNS

Be mindful of workers if they tell you they’re struggling with any workplace changes. They may feel overwhelmed if new policies change their day-to-day significantly. Be empathetic and compassionate during feedback meetings so you can work through distress together. Create smaller meetings or one-on-one time so more introverted workers can speak up too.

5. ISSUE REWARDS FOR FOLLOWING NEW PROTOCOLS

Provide incentives and rewards for following new rules. It gives workers even more reason to embrace changes and makes your job easier. Reward employees both for achieving milestones and for taking on new changes with a positive attitude while meeting their existing goals and tasks. They can serve as a shining example for the rest of your workforce!

An evolving workplace is almost always a source of stress for you and your workers. But if you create and execute a well-thought-out plan to get everyone on board, you can come out the other side with workers who feel heard, appreciated, and on board for productivity and safety.

Want to keep safety on your employee’s minds? Send it to their phones! Download fun safety training videos!

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