Change can be hard. And, when it comes to work, shaking up specific routines or team dynamics generate fear and anxiety among employees. In fact, some changes—like the reorganization of a team—can be so disruptive that they decrease productivity. A recent study from the American Psychological Association found that such changes increase employee stress, reduce their trust in their employers and motivate them to look for other jobs.
According to the World Economic Forum's 2018 Future of Jobs Report, among the many changes expected to impact how we work is a growing interaction with machines. But this transformation must be managed and communicated to your employees strategically.
In this video, Holger Mueller, VP and principal analyst at Constellation Research, urges companies to anticipate employees' fearful response to new things. Leadership should come up with a list of potential scenarios and rank those scenarios according to probability. Then, a team of uninhibited specialists should go down the list and devise plans for the likeliest scenarios. When these changes are anticipated, Mueller says, "the fear around them diminishes significantly."
Photo: Creative Commons
Related Resources
Want to keep learning? Explore our products, customer stories, and the latest industry insights.
Datasheet
Introducing an exclusive partnership with WaitWhat's Masters of Scale for an entirely new learning experience
You asked for popular podcast modalities and we delivered through a partnership with WaitWhat’s Masters of Scale. Check out lessons about building teams, developing products and scaling companies from the world's top leaders, now available in multiple Cornerstone Content Anytime subscriptions.
Blog Post
Three HCM Trends You Can’t Afford to Ignore in 2023
Businesses are experiencing a perfect storm. Strengthening economic headwinds, geo-political unrest, the cost-of-living crisis, the skills shortage and sustainability are just some of the factors forcing organisations to pivot fast to pre-empt threats.
Blog Post
Thriving in a Fast-Paced, Unpredictable World: Strategies for Business Success
The automotive industry is an accurate barometer for how quickly business leaders need to think, act and adapt. Trends like battery electric vehicles, autonomous driving, and shared ownership are upending more than a century of traditional auto manufacturing in just a few years, forcing legacy brands to rip up decades-old operating models, innovate like never before and be more nimble.