Businesses constantly undergo change. Some changes are more anticipated, such as welcoming a new member into the team. Other changes, however, can come as a surprise. An example of such would be the sudden shift in work environments due to the pandemic. Working in change management, I have seen first-hand how easily change can go wrong, especially when there are no plans in place should employees resist particular transformations.
The biggest impact I have come across in my years of experience working across a diverse range of industries, is how poor leadership and management during these periods often leave employees feeling disengaged, deflated and exhausted. In more instances than one, this has skyrocketed turnover or slowed productivity, which can impact business continuity and profitability.
For those business owners who leave change leadership strategies to the last minute, this often means long term impacts to productivity, loss of valuable staff, staff morale and wellbeing as well as the bottom line.
While there are endless examples of how change in businesses has gone wrong, studies prove that it can also go exceptionally right. These case studies always revolve around top management. They explain that for change to be successful, it needs to be led from the top.
So, whether you’re a business owner, manager or key decision maker in a company, it is up to you to inspire the change you want to see in your workplace. Here’s how you can do it.