The only constant in business today is change. Organizations face change due to rapid growth, mergers and acquisitions, downsizings and executive turnover. At every company, at every level, change is inevitable. Success can be measured by how adept an organization has become at introducing and managing this change, while ensuring employee support remains high.
Communicate and Set Expectations
Effective communication is a critical foundation of employee engagement.
Consider your different audiences and what the impact of any change will be for the different stakeholders. Have a communication plan that is customized to emphasize what a particular group will need to know, that might be a little different from their colleagues: why is this change important for the company and for their group; what should they expect and what is expected of them in relation to a particular change initiative; and how will things look when you are done.
Communicate often and use different channels to help spread a consistent message and gather employee feedback. Publish newsletters to introduce your changes. Leverage online tools like SoapBox or your company Intranet to post articles and to track suggestions or comments. Create a more interactive forum with town hall meetings or larger gatherings. If you have people spread across different locations, consider bringing people together virtually by using Skype, having an online web meeting, or hosting conference calls.
Listen to employee feedback! Create an employee advisory committee. Involve as many of your informal leaders – those individuals who have social capital. Recognize those employees who are acting as role models and a positive force for change.
Provide your Leadership Team with Tools
Respondents to a November 2010 survey by the Economist cited more than 64% of bottlenecks in change occur at the “middle” and “well-above senior” management level.
Remember that your leadership team members are also stakeholders in any change process and their engagement is also important. Ensure the end goals for the organization and for a particular leaders’ department are clear. Give them guidance around what they can do to help their teams adjust. Get your leaders’ feedback on what they can do to support a particular initiative; ask them to consider what their teams’ questions will be, and help them create an FAQ they are comfortable answering. Perhaps all leaders should commit to having lunch in the lunchroom instead of at their desks during the process to encourage people to approach them with questions or concerns. Provide your leaders with the right tools, training and guidelines to manage the change.
Stay true to your vision, values and employee value proposition (EVP)
When planning your communications, remember who you are, as a company.
Make sure that everything you say and what is happening is in alignment with your vision, values and EVP. Keep employees focused on the overall vision or mission of the organization. Tell the story of your Company, and what part employees play in that greater identity. Remind your employees through your Value Proposition that what they love about the Company and culture is not changing.