The Pace of Change

While there are factors that affect our processing ability, such as age and cognitive function, this statistic suggests that if you are awake for 16 hours, you should be able to learn 112 new things every day.

In spite of this, there are some lessons in humanity that have endured. For one, in the 19th century, Charles Darwin explained in his Theory of Evolution that...

“Species must make adjustments in order to survive.”

The same is true of business. The world around us is changing all the time so organisations too must evolve to thrive.

I’m sure most know this. But while we can all agree evolution is essential that doesn’t mean we have to like it. Humans are in fact hard wired to feel uncomfortable in the face of change. We find comfort in routine; we impose structures for a sense of security. So, when it comes to change management, how can we implement disruption without unsettling a workforce?

I have two core philosophies on the subject. First, you need to take your time. You can’t rush it. Greek philosopher Socrates said:

“It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you don't stop.”

I couldn’t agree more. There are many motivators for change and often there can be pressure – from within or top-down – to do it as quickly as possible. As a communications professional, it is your job to push back and advise on how best to progress with the end goal in mind.

In terms of what good looks like: effectively handling change means your employees have clarity on why it is happening, how it will impact them as well as the business, and what it will mean in the long term. You can’t just tell them once and tick a box, this story needs to be told – and brought to life – repeatedly, over time.

My second philosophy is that change never happens in isolation. While we refer to “change projects”, they should never be planned – or indeed implemented – independent of everything else taking place in the organisation. For one, this can make it stand out like a sore thumb and make employees feel discombobulated before you have said a word. Whether you are restructuring, introducing new technology, or changing your leadership team, your messaging needs to be mindful of context, and you need to communicate through pre-existing internal channels you know to be effective. If you do have a project team working on the change, they need to have ties into other relevant teams and be alert to the bigger picture at all times.

Outside of these two philosophies, there is a current trend in internal communications that is also worth being aware of – and that is “employee voice”. If you believe the change you are making may not land well with your employees, it may be tempting to limit their opportunities to share feedback. This is a huge mistake. If they are not telling you, they’ll be telling someone else – whether that’s colleagues or worst-case scenario, the media.

Recent research suggests that employees who feel their voice is heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered at work and perform their best.^1

Currently, just over half of employees (53%) believe they have a voice within their company.

Women and young members of staff are more likely to feel “voiceless”. If you want your employees to feel bought into your culture, your purpose, your mission, why wouldn’t you give them an opportunity to share their views – even in the face of a change? There are ways to capture feedback in a more contained way, such as via managers, in focus groups or via surveys, but if you are giving them the opportunity to amplify their voice, make sure you show – somehow – that you are listening.

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1. 50 Statistics About Employee Communications (mvix.com)