When disruptive changes exceed an organisation’s capacity to adopt them, employees begin to exhibit signs of change fatigue in both personal and professional contexts(1). Specifically, change fatigue refers to feelings of apathy or overwhelm caused by ongoing organisational change.
A post-covid Prosci study showed that 73% of change management professionals reported their organisation had disruptive changes that neared, was at, or exceeded their organisation’s capacity to absorb them(1).
In line, research identifying the priorities and challenges for HR leaders in 2024 showed that HR leaders say that they will prioritise change management in their organisation(2).
continuous change wears people down
Digital transformations, relocations, refurbishments, and restructures lead to significant disruption and change. Data shows that employees are becoming increasingly resistant to change9(3) and that people’s ability to cope with change has halved compared to pre-pandemic levels(4). In 2016, the Gartner Workforce Change Survey showed 74% of employees were willing to change work behaviours to support organisational changes. However, that number dropped to 38% in 2022.
77% of HR leaders say that their employees are feeling fatigued(2)
signs of change fatigue
So, how can you tell if your people are fatigued? Employees may be fatigued if they are increasingly(1):
Apathetic
Burnt out
Anxious
Negative | Skeptical
Resistant | Complaining
the consequences of change fatigue
Change fatigue has clear consequences. Recent work shows that employees experiencing change fatigue report(2):
42% less intent to stay
30% lower levels of trust
27% less responsiveness
27% less sustainable performance
22% less discretionary effort
17% less enterprise contribution
It is crucial that managers help employees to navigate change and implement strategies to mitigate the impact that change may have on their work and well-being.
managers not equipped to lead change
While managers are a big part of the solution to help employees navigate change at work, 82% of HR leaders state that the managers in their organisations are not properly equipped to lead their people through change(2).
To increase employees’ ability to absorb change, managers need to evolve how they lead change. Progressive organisations adopt an approach to change management that brings employees into the change journey early and actively engages them throughout a structured and planned process. Announcing changes early(5) enables:
employees to mentally prepare for changes ahead, and
managers to seek feedback from their people along the way
strategies to address change fatigue
Change brings uncertainty, which is anxiety-inducing. The key is to not let employees struggle alone, but for managers and leaders to collectively acknowledge and address the challenges.
The Harvard Business Review(5) promotes four practices leaders can use to help their people confront and overcome change fatigue:
Take the time to acknowledge the change(s) | and the discomfort that comes with it. Managers can make it a priority to set aside time to meet with their people and give space for individuals to raise concerns and ask questions. Communicate clearly and often.
Adopt the mantra “I am a person who is learning…” | Managers need to acknowledge what they do not know and reframe the situation to shift themselves and their people from anxiety to a growth mindset.
Make plans that are not set in stone | When faced with uncertainty, flexibility is key. The process and journey of planning ideally gives reassurance that people feel prepared for whatever comes next.
Invest in collective rituals | Research shows that rituals or habits can help reduce stress levels during times of uncertainty. To be effective, these rituals should be collective and centre on what matters most to the team.
By implementing best practice change management strategies, managers can help their people gain confidence in their ability to handle whatever comes next, together.
so, what can you do?
You and your organisation can help people thrive through change by applying change management best practices. Puzzle have seen how these issues have been addressed in public and private organisations of all sizes.
At a high level, the good tend to:
Gather feedback directly from staff and leadership: conducting surveys, interviews and focus groups
Build a clear and united vision of the desired outcomes, supported by the leadership team
Have a clear and consistent narrative that is developed around a deep understanding of the organisation and its people
Have a structured and planned approach with clear deliverables and accountability
Communicate clearly, regularly, and throughout the entirety of the project
Evaluate outcomes, measuring the impacts of change efforts over time, and ensuring the change is embedded
Minimising change fatigue and building a resilient organisation that is ready and willing to embrace future change is critical in today's competitive environment and if done well, can be a source of real competitive advantage. If you would like to discuss your change project with Australia's leading workplace change management team, please email us or call 1300 478 995.
references
1 Prosci (2024). How to Recognize Change Fatigue in Your People. https://www.prosci.com/blog/how-to-recognize-change-fatigue-inyour-people
2 Gartner (2023). Top 5 Priorities for HR Leaders in 2024. https://www.gartner.com.au/en/human-resources/trends/toppriorities-for-hr-leaders
3 Gartner (2022). What will HR focus on in 2023? https://www.gartner.com.au/en/articles/what-will-hr-focus-on-in-2023
4 Gartner (2020). How to Reduce the Risk of Employee Change Fatigue. https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/how-to-reduce-the-riskof-employee-change-fatigue
5 Harvard Business Review (2022). Managers, What Are You Doing About Change Exhaustion? https://hbr.org/2022/05/managers-whatare-you-doing-about-change-exhaustion
6 WORKTECH Academy (2024). Change fatigue: is this phenomenon the other pandemic? https://www.worktechacademy.com/changefatigue-is-this-phenomenon-the-other-global-pandemic/
7 Josh Bersin (2013). Employee retention now a big issue. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20130816200159-131079-employeeretention-now-a-big-issue-why-the-tide-has-turned/
8 Australian Financial Review (2021). The real cost of losing a star performer. https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/careers/the-realcost-of-losing-a-star-performer-20200217-p541go
9 Qualtrics (2023). Calculating the cost of employee turnover. https://www.qualtrics.com/experience-management/employee/cost-ofemployee-turnover/
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