Guiding Employees Through Leadership Changes

Leadership changes can gravely alter the morale and productivity of your office if not handled properly. Patiently guiding your employees through their change related anxiety can be challenging. However, it is ultimately the best way to ensure that employees feel a sense of security and operations continue smoothly.

Involve Employees

One of the very best things you can do is to involve your employees. Offering updates along the way can put people at ease and ensure that they will be the first to know of any sudden changes that may come up. This level of transparency creates trust and understanding which will boost morale and keep employees invested during this vulnerable time.

Ask Employees How They are Doing

This simple question can go a long way in calming the nerves of everybody in the workplace. People want to talk about their feelings and a few minutes of interaction can allow them to vent in a healthy and productive way. Be careful not to get upset by what employees say during this time. They may not be thrilled with the changes, but hearing them out and addressing their concerns can be helpful.

Describe the Future

Employees want to know that there’s still a future for them in the workplace. Be sure to explain to them exactly what the future is intended to look like and what it means for them specifically. If their roles are subject to change during this time, make sure they have a full picture understanding of what that looks like for them. 

Be Positive About Leadership Changes

Change is hard on everybody. Your attitude matters. Everybody gets stressed out during periods of transition, but as a leader, it is your job to remain positive and give your employees hope. This doesn’t mean you should lie about any concerns, but it does mean that you should face the changes with a good attitude that could potentially influence everybody else. 

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