The Best-Laid Plans: Why Your Employees Are Fighting Your Change Initiatives

If you’ve ever led or experienced an organizational change initiative, it won’t surprise you to hear that the majority of them fail to live up to expectations.

And that might be putting it nicely. Whether it’s the introduction of new software, exponential growth, change in leadership, internal restructuring, or a merger or acquisition, the majority come with more headaches than celebrations.

Leaders come to me frustrated, saying employees are resisting. They won’t get on board. There’s a lack of trust, engagement, and even sabotage. “Why aren’t they on board with a plan that makes so much sense?!” Indeed, widespread commitment is often the exception rather than the rule.

But why?

It’s because change is scary. Even good change.  And you probably haven’t considered the psychology of change in your plans. You’re not alone. Most don’t. Many business leaders and their trusted advisors were taught to focus on the blueprint, the strategic steps, and the transaction of the change. They weren’t taught to consider the people side of people.

This is where business psychologists, like me, come in handy. Understanding the 'why' behind employee resistance and change fatigue is critical for getting the full ROI out of your change initiative. Here are a few things to consider:

WHY YOUR CHANGE IS SCARY

We humans are hard-wired to react to change as if it’s a potential threat. It’s a survival thing that came in handy when we were running from saber-tooth tigers, dire wolves, and other predators of yore. We question it, we resist it, we are skeptical of it. It saved us then, and our brains think it’s saving us now.

From the employees’ perspective, everything was fine or at least good enough. They weren’t privy to all the data that (hopefully) fueled your decision to make changes that would affect their daily lives. They weren’t with you when you considered the options, weighed the pros and cons, and crafted the strategy.  They were just sitting there doing their jobs, and out of nowhere, you announce a new way of doing things.

You’re excited. But they often feel like the ground is shifting beneath their feet. This causes uncertainty and hesitation in the best of times. And frankly, we are not in the best of times. They are experiencing change from every which way in their personal lives due to the uncertainty out of D.C. and its ripple effects out and down to their tabletop concerns.

For some, work was the one thing stable. And now it’s not.

 THINK ABOUT IT THIS WAY

Have you ever had to change a habit? Say a health habit? Or known someone who has? Say, for example, not smoking?

Let’s say your friend smokes. They start with zero intention to change. Doesn’t matter what you say or share or do.

But then something clicks or happens that makes them open up to the idea. They are aware it’s a problem, but they still aren’t ready to do anything about it.

And then another thing happens, and they decide that they will make a change. They start exploring the best ways to drop the habit. Then they take that first step. They build consistency, probably with a few slips along the way, and eventually, they are smoke-free.

Now, they might stay that way. They may become a non-smoker. But they also might relapse, even after years.

 This is the reality of behavior change. And what you are asking your employees to do. It’s likely what you did with your own change initiative, though you may not have realized it until now. Only, I find, you never allowed your employees to go through the contemplation and preparation phases. You made them jump from pre-contemplation to maintenance. Recipe for failure.

 Now, I am not saying every employee needs to be involved in every step of the decision-making process, or even the decision-making process itself.

But I am saying you can leverage the art of stage-based communication to move them through the Pre-Contemplation to the Maintenance stages, so you are more likely to see success.

 STAGE-MATCHED CHANGE

I help my clients do just that, whether it’s the CEO looking for private support as they prepare for their exit or the entire staff struggling to shift to new leadership styles. Here are a few tips to help, and feel free to reach out—you’re busy running your business, after all, why not let a consultant manage this while you focus on the marketplace.

Initially, when employees aren’t aware of the reasons for the change, you want to start by sharing the “why(s)”. You raise awareness by providing educational materials and town halls, for example.

Help them understand the pros and cons, you discuss barriers, you inspire hope about how things will look on the other side, and help them build confidence that they can perform in the new reality. Use compelling narratives that connect with people's values and hopes, helping them make sense of the new reality. Middle managers, if your company is large enough to have them, are critical in this process.

Build trust through authenticity. Be transparent, consistent, and act with integrity. Acknowledging mistakes and showing humility can strengthen trust. Trust in leaders is crucial for navigating the uncertainty and emotional strain of change.

Then you continue building that confidence, addressing concerns and feedback. Now, here’s the deal. If you haven’t built a culture that is psychologically safe, staff will not feel comfortable sharing honest feedback or concerns. And frankly, your plan might benefit from bottom-up feedback. Leaders are not always right. You might already be missing out on critical perspectives that could help you innovate and grow.

So, if you aren’t already creating safe spaces for employees to voice their feelings, both positive and negative, do it now because change initiatives are a part of doing business, and if you aren’t in one now, it’s a matter of when, not if.

Leaders need to develop their own emotional intelligence to understand and manage these responses effectively. This isn't just "touchy-feely"; it's about building the trust and engagement needed for change readiness.

Provide not only initial training but also continued training through social support, environmental restructuring, and developing self-leadership. Equip employees with resources, training, and support. Helping employees feel capable and more in control can buffer the negative effects of change fatigue and uncertainty.

Lastly, be mindful that multiple changes have a cumulative, taxing effect. Strategic planning, prioritizing, and sequencing initiatives can help avoid overwhelming the organization with "change turbulence". Manage your pace.

Successfully navigating change means acknowledging the emotional rollercoaster. As a leader, your role extends to managing your team’s emotions and fostering environments that encourage trust, collaboration, engagement, and creative problem-solving. Change management initiatives are no different.

 If this resonates with you and you’re seeking tailored approaches to help you navigate the human side of change within your organization, reach out. Objective, customized Science-Backed, People-Proven™  guidance can help you and your team build the adaptability skills needed to bust through denial, fear, and resistance to help you maximize your change ROI, ultimately creating conditions to thrive™.