Best Practices for Change Management and Employee Support

Let’s face it - current headlines spell a recipe for employee stress. Raging inflation, recession worries, international strife, social justice issues, and overall uncertainty pile onto already full work plates. As business leaders, keeping teams motivated despite swirling fears matters more than ever. Here are 5 strategies I lean into to curb burnout and boost morale during turbulent times: 1. Overcommunicate Context and Vision: Proactively address concerns through radical transparency and big picture framing. Our SOP is to hold quarterly all hands and monthly meetings grouped by level cohort and ramp up fireside chats and written memos when there are big changes happening. 2. Enable Flexibility and Choice: Where Possible Empower work-life balance and self-care priorities based on individuals’ needs. This includes our remote work policy and implementing employee engagement tools like Lattice to track feedback loops. 3. Spotlight Impact Through Community Stories: Connect employees to end customers and purpose beyond daily tasks. We leveled up on this over the past 2 years. We provide paid volunteer days to our employees and our People Operations team actively connects our employees with opportunities in their region or remotely to get involved monthly. Recently we added highlighting the social impact by our employees into our internal communications plan. 4. Incentivize Cross-Collaboration: Reduce silos by rewarding team-wide contributions outside core roles. We’ve increased cross team retreats and trainings to spark fresh connections as our employee base grows. 5. Celebrate the Humanity: Profile your employee’s talents beyond work through content spotlight segments. We can’t control the market we operate in, but as leaders we can make an impact on how we foster better collaboration to tackle the headwinds. Keeping spirits and productivity intact requires acknowledging modern anxieties directly while sustaining focus on goals ahead. Reminding your teams why the work matters and that they are valued beyond output unlocks loyalty despite swirling worries. What tactics succeeded at boosting team morale and preventing burnout spikes within your company amidst current volatility?

As we continue to fly through the summer, let’s talk about the “how” behind leading an organization through radical #transformation.   As you may have read by now, we co-hosted a Charter roundtable in May, focused on managing radical transformation. Here the room full of HR leaders and workplace futurists agreed we must embrace the status quo of change in business. I wrote about this as well as the “Three A’s” (#Anxiety, #Adaptability and #Attitude). While we can’t force employees through change, the “Three A’s” can help us allow employees to flourish through transformation.   But these are high level concepts. In today’s third and last post about the Charter Roundtable, I want to discuss building a workplace that is both “safe and sparkly” – full of confidence, purpose, and joy. To me, this is the essence of what it takes to sustain a joyful, winning team (I love sports metaphors!) and it is top of mind for me as I help usher PMI U.S. through radical transformation:   1.     Clarity: Every player on the field needs to know their role. We need to detail the “what” and the “why” behind daily responsibilities and highlight how it connects back to the organization's overarching mission. Transparency and clarity eliminates a lot of the anxiety that arises in uncertainty and change.   2.     Support: Every player on the field needs to know their teammates have their backs. Employees need a strong people management system that supports them in their role – they should know who to talk to when they have a question and have direct access to the resources they need to succeed.   3.     Acknowledgement: Every player needs to celebrate the success of their teammates. Great coaches often teach players, when they score, to immediately point to the player who created the scoring opportunity. So too is it important to pause and celebrate the successes of others.   4.     Learning: Every player on the field needs to demonstrate real-time, in-the-moment learning, which is adapting to circumstance and the play at hand. Leaders need to invest in coaching and training. A culture of learning and growing must come to the forefront, preparing employees with both soft (e.g., resilience, stress management) and hard (e.g., AI/new technology) skills they need to navigate change and transformation.   5.     Purpose: Every player on the field needs to BELIEVE in the mission, know the stakes, and understand the rules of the game. There needs to be top-down alignment to the organization’s values. Leaders and peers must visibly act in accordance with the norms and expectations outlined in change and, if they aren’t, the organization must act to ensure consistency.   As employers, we must strive to create an environment where employees feel excited and safe to come to work, committed to each other, believing in a common purpose, and stretched by learning. This is how to create a workplace that is not only resilient to change, but that actually thrives in change.

Organizational change isn’t just about new systems— It’s about people navigating uncertainty. And here’s the truth: Most disengagement doesn’t stem from resistance. It stems from confusion, fear, and feeling left out of the process. If you want your change effort to succeed, you must lead with engagement—right from the start. Here’s how high-trust leaders keep people connected during the turbulence: 🔹 1. Start with Empathy & Psychological Safety → Let people know their concerns aren’t a threat—they’re a resource. 🔹 2. Explain the “Why Now” Behind the Change → Share the business case, competitive landscape, and future vision. 🔹 3. Break Change Into Clear, Achievable Milestones → Visible progress sustains energy and reduces overwhelm. 🔹 4. Keep a Regular Communication Rhythm → Weekly touchpoints and transparent dashboards help reduce rumors. 🔹 5. Support Teams With Training and Tools → Equip them—workshops, coaching, and toolkits build capability. 🔹 6. Spotlight Early Adopters and Change Champions → Inspiration beats instruction when it comes from peers. 💡 Change doesn’t just need a rollout plan. It needs an engagement strategy. 📩 DM me “TRANSFORM” if your transformation journey needs a blueprint that puts people first—and keeps them engaged from day one.

Change is inevitable, but is your team on board? Let's face it, change can feel like hurtling through a whirlwind. New leadership, different processes, or an evolving market can leave employees feeling disoriented and anxious. But did you know that Gallup research shows that organizations with highly engaged employees are 21% more profitable? That's why addressing employee fears during change is mission critical for a smooth transition and a thriving organization. Here are 4 ways Allison Wright and I help organizations navigate the human side of change and keep teams feeling valued: 👂 Acknowledge, Don't Dismiss: People are creatures of habit! Recognize that change can bring feelings of uncertainty and even fear. Openly discuss concerns in team meetings and one-on-ones. Let your employees know their voices are heard. 🎨 Paint the Picture: We all crave clarity. While clearly sharing the "why" and "what" with change is important, explain how the change connects to the organization's overall strategy and how it will benefit the company's future is equally necessary. 🌐 Empowerment Through Connection: Tie the change back to their individual roles and help them see how their contributions are essential to the success of the change. When employees understand how their work fits into the bigger picture, it fosters a sense of ownership and purpose. This feeling of empowerment is key to navigating change with a positive and engaged mindset. 📝 Fuel the Learning Flame: Create opportunities for peer-to-peer learning by setting up buddy systems or knowledge-sharing sessions. This allows employees to learn from each other's experiences and build stronger working relationships. Bonus points if you encourage and reward participation in industry events or conferences to stay current on trends and best practices. This investment shows your employees that you are committed to their growth, which fosters trust and loyalty! By prioritizing your people during change, you foster trust, engagement, and ultimately, a successful transformation. Remember, a little empathy goes a long way! What are your best practices for addressing employee concerns during change? Share your thoughts in the comments! 👇 Learn more about how we help our clients thrive through change here www.3-kcom #ChangeManagement #Leadership #Engagement #HumanResources #Transformation #KeysToSuccess #KeysToTransformation #ThriveThroughChange #ROI