How to Communicate Change to Employees: 4-Step Plan
Effective communication during change initiatives can make the difference between success and failure. Structured and phased communication can significantly amplify the impact of the change initiatives pursued and keep your employees informed and engaged.
In this guide, we'll explain how to communicate change to employees for better understanding and higher engagement.
What Is Change Management Communication?
Change management communication is the process of sharing information about change initiatives in a way that minimizes resistance and maximizes acceptance and support.
Clear and empathetic communication helps align everyone with the change goals and smooths the transition process.
According to OakEngage's Change Report, change makes 40% of employees feel anxious. Only 16% feel happy about it. Effective change management communication helps employees understand the benefits of change and lowers stress levels.
Communicating Change: Your 4-Step Plan
1. Preparation Phase
In the preparation phase, you're laying the foundation for effective communication during your change efforts to keep your employees happy and engaged. The preparation phase is the first step to start successfully implementing change.
Start with Objective Setting.
Define the objectives of your communication strategy and align them with the overall goals of your change management initiative. When you set clear objectives, you can create messages that are purposeful and contribute to the desired outcome.
Then, do Stakeholder Analysis.
Identify all stakeholders and segment them based on their influence, interest, and the level of impact the change will have on them. Tailor your communication to meet the specific needs and concerns of each group. This personalized approach helps all stakeholders feel considered and valued.
2. Pre-Change Communication
Pre-change communications help build awareness and prepare employees for what’s to come.
Don’t underestimate the importance of Awareness Building.
Initial communication strategies should focus on building awareness about the need for change, the objectives behind it, and the benefits it will bring. Use kickoff meetings, emails, and informational sessions to convey this information clearly and effectively with your teams.
Before the changes start rolling in, focus on Vision Sharing.
Share the vision and strategy for change with all stakeholders. Use it to instill a sense of urgency while painting a clear picture of the better future post-change. This helps employees understand the direction and purpose of the change effort. It also makes them feel more involved.
39% of employees feel skeptical about organizational change but are open to being shown by leadership why it's a good thing.
When your change management process incorporates awareness building and vision sharing in its initial stages, you make your teams more receptive to change.
3. Communication During Change Initiatives
During the change process, focus on keeping your employees informed and engaged.
Give Regular Updates on the progress of change initiatives.
Use weekly newsletters, dashboards, and briefs to keep your stakeholders informed. Regular updates help maintain momentum and transparency during the change management process.
Establish Feedback Loops for stakeholders to provide feedback on the change process.
Use surveys, suggestion boxes, or forums to collect input. Actively listen to feedback and adapt the change process where possible. This shows responsiveness and builds trust with your teams.
Communicate that there is Support and Training available to help your employees adapt to change. Make sure that your employees have the necessary tools and knowledge for successful implementation.
Research shows that with top-down tell strategies, only 20% of the workforce understand the change they face. In contrast, open-source talk communication helps 54% of the workforce understand how change works.
4. Post-Change Communication
After the change has been implemented, regular communications help reinforce and sustain the new status quo.
Share Successes and Learnings from the change process.
Highlighting wins and celebrating milestones motivates your employees to continue showing support and staying engaged. It also helps to acknowledge the efforts of those involved.
Communicate your plans for Continuous Improvement in the future.
Even after a change initiative is formally completed, it’s important to keep communication lines open to refine and optimize new systems or processes.
70% of change initiatives fail, but effective internal communications before, during, and after the change process can drastically increase your chances of success.
How to Communicate Change Effectively with Employees
Wondering how to communicate change to employees in an engaging way they can easily understand? Here are a few important tips.
Clear Messaging
Make sure that your communication is clear, concise, and jargon-free. Your message should be easy to understand and accessible to all layers of your target audience.
Visual Aids
Use visual aids like infographics, charts, and videos to complement verbal or written communication. Visual communication is a powerful way to explain complex changes in an easily digestible format.
Personal Touch
Where possible, personalize your internal communication to make it more relevant to your audience. Use personal stories or testimonials to illustrate the benefits of the change and improve employee engagement.
Tools and Channels for Communicating Organizational Change
Digital Platforms
Use intranet sites, email, and social media platforms to share information. Store training and support content on an intuitive and user-friendly platform that your teams can easily access. Your people need to be able to find what they need when they need it and with relative ease.
Meetings and Workshops
Face-to-face interactions (both virtual and physical) help improve engagement and create opportunities for real-time feedback and honest discussion.
43% of employees said they'd be more collaborative if leaders did more to understand their change resistance, and meetings and workshops are your opportunity to do that.
Communicating Change Challenges
Resistance to Change
Resistance is a natural response to change, especially when it threatens the status quo or individual comfort zones.
Involve stakeholders early in the process and use empathetic communication to acknowledge their concerns and fears.
Clearly explain the benefits of the change not just for the organization but for your employees as well.
Misalignment of Messages
Inconsistent messaging leads to confusion and skepticism.
Develop a centralized communication plan to ensure consistency across all channels and regularly review communications to maintain alignment.
Poor communication leads to burnout, stress, and fatigue in 53% of employees.
Information Overload
Too much information can overwhelm stakeholders and cause important messages to be lost or ignored.
Prioritize and phase out communication to focus on the most critical information at each stage.
You can also use summary points and visuals to effectively communicate key aspects and messages.
Lack of Feedback Mechanisms
73% of change-affected employees report experiencing moderate to high stress levels.
When they don't have proper channels to voice their concerns or feedback for your change management strategy, they can become disengaged.
Establish clear feedback mechanisms and respond promptly to show that you value and consider your employees' input.
Effective Change Communication Tips
Simplify Your Message
Break down complex information into digestible, relatable pieces. Use clear and straightforward language to avoid misunderstandings. Analogies and stories can be helpful, too.
Recognize Cultural and Language Barriers
In global organizations, it's easy for messages to get “lost in translation” and misinterpreted. Use culturally neutral and inclusive language. Consider translations or employ bilingual communicators to convey your messages in a way that's easier for your teams to understand.
Acknowledge Emotional Responses to Change
Change can evoke strong emotions, from fear and anxiety to optimism. Use empathetic language and reassure your employees. Highlight the support systems in place for the people affected by the change.
Timing and Receptiveness
Messages delivered at the wrong time can be ignored or provoke negative reactions. Carefully plan the timing of communications to coincide with when stakeholders are most receptive.
Avoid periods of high stress or workload when possible. If your change communications don't fully succeed, reintroduce key messages through various formats and communication channels.
Change Communication Tools
Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model
Kotter's 8-Step Change Model is a comprehensive framework that helps guide organizations through the process of change. It outlines a clear, step-by-step approach to implementing change effectively.
The steps include:
Creating a sense of urgency
Forming a powerful coalition
Creating a vision for change
Communicating the vision
Removing obstacles
Creating short-term wins
Building on the change
Anchoring the changes in your corporate culture
Kotter's 8-Step Change Model is particularly effective for large-scale change initiatives.
It helps organizations align their teams and stakeholders around a common vision. It also emphasizes communication and engagement, which are key to successful change.
Potential Pitfalls: The main challenge lies in the implementation of each step thoroughly, which requires significant time and effort. There can also be psychological resistance from employees who are used to the old ways of working. Working with an operations consultant can help you implement the Kotter's 8-Step Change Model more effectively.
ADKAR Model
The ADKAR Model is a change management framework that focuses on change at the individual level. It consists of five key components:
Awareness
Desire
Knowledge
Ability
Reinforcement.
This model emphasizes that successful organizational change starts with each individual being ready and willing to change.
By addressing these five elements, the ADKAR Model ensures that employees are aware of the need for change, desire to participate in the change, possess the knowledge and skills required, have the ability to implement the change, and receive reinforcement to sustain the change.
This approach is best applied in scenarios where changes rely on changing individual behaviors and competencies. Adopting new technologies, changing work processes, or developing new skills are all good examples of situations in which the ADKAR Model can be used to drive successful and lasting change.
Potential Pitfalls: Your change management team may overlook the different paces at which individuals progress through the change curve. People adapt to change at different speeds, and not accounting for this can lead to frustration and resistance. Make sure to provide personalized support and be patient with those who may need more time to adapt.
Lean Management
Lean Management is a methodology that helps minimize waste within manufacturing systems while maximizing productivity.
You can apply it to change management by optimizing processes, eliminating unnecessary steps, and encouraging continuous improvement for cost reductions and efficiency gains.
For example, in a manufacturing setting, it can help identify and eliminate bottlenecks, reduce inventory levels, and improve workflow. In an office environment, Lean principles can be used to streamline administrative processes, reduce paperwork, and improve productivity.
Potential Pitfalls: Lean Management helps organizations remain agile and responsive to changes, but its emphasis on efficiency can sometimes lead to workforce concerns about job security. Employees may fear that streamlining processes and eliminating waste could result in job cuts. To manage these concerns, communicate the goals and benefits of Lean initiatives clearly and empathetically.
Communicate Organizational Change with Solvers Collective
Change is the future, but only when managed effectively. At Solvers Collective, we help growth-stage companies close the gap between good ideas and successful initiatives so you can lead change efforts with confidence.
Learn more about our Strategy Development, Process Development, and Risk Management services.
