Supporting staff and volunteers through change

Once you’ve developed change plans, consulted with staff and refined your plans, you’re ready to implement the changes. Here are some pointers to help you support your team during this phase.

Before implementing changes, it’s important that anyone involved in the implementation (for example, your leadership or management team) understands how people adapt to change and cope with change.

‘The transition cycle’ is a model that explains the different stages people go through during a period of change. Understanding this natural human process will help your organisation support staff and volunteers through changes.

The transition cycle was first recognised in studies of bereavement conducted in the 1960s by specialists such as Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. Later research identified that the cycle can be triggered by any major life event – good or bad. Examples of triggers at work include:

• starting a new role
• being made redundant
• being re-deployed.

A transition cycle for organisational change

The vertical axis represents an employee’s wellbeing or emotional state, ranging from positive feelings to ones of denial, anger, guilt and depression. The horizontal axis represents time.

The diagram charts two lines: a well-managed change process and a loosely structured process. The well-managed change process starts with a high level of employee wellbeing, dips slightly but rises again to the same high level.

The loosely structured change process dips to a very low level of employee wellbeing before gradually rising to a point where the employee feels encouraged and involved.

If the transition process is not effectively managed then an organisation is likely to experience some or all of the following:

• increased sickness absence
• reduced/poor performance
• scapegoating
• loss of creativity and initiative
• increased grievances
• resignations.

Below are some tips to help you support your team through the transition.

Build change momentum

If you’re making a series of changes, starting with the biggest challenges is likely to demotivate and derail your changes before you get started. Instead, start in the most promising areas and build momentum as you go.

Establish and maintain trust

Establishing and maintaining trust is a key part of managing a team through a transitional period. Employees need to trust their leadership’s competence, credibility and motives for launching any change.

Be open with your team about your motives for change and encourage them to share concerns or feedback as you implement the changes.

Coach staff through the transition

Provide adequate training, mentoring and coaching for employees affected by change, to equip them with the skills to manage the transition process. This can help to move them from a state of resistance to awareness, and on to an informed state of acceptance and involvement.

Find ways to minimise stress

Change can be stressful, but you can minimise stress by maintaining good communication and routine as far as possible. For example, if you’re moving to a new working environment, try to avoid making changes to team structure, workflow, or responsibilities. Maintaining some familiarity will act as an anchor while the team transitions, helping to reduce stress.

Empathise and provide emotional support

Remember that everyone responds differently to change. Some members of your team may require lots of emotional support, while others won’t need any.

Ensure you have the right systems in place to support your team through the transition. For example, could you offer an independent employee assistance programme?

Whatever support mechanisms you offer, make sure you clearly explain how the team can access them.