Change is an inevitable part of life – and especially the workplace. But that doesn’t mean change is easy and that there won’t be challenges when helping team members navigate organizational or executive transitions within a department. That’s where strong leadership from management makes the difference. All too often, departments are so caught up in the upcoming changes that they don’t think enough about their most important asset – their team members. According to a Gartner study, 73% of change-affected employees report experiencing “moderate to high stress levels”. Those suffering change-related stress “perform 5% worse than the average employee”.
Without strong leadership, there can also be some unforeseen consequences for departments when organizational and executive changes are on the horizon. A few of these include:
- Loss in trust
- Decrease in morale
- Increase in rumors and speculation
- Decrease in productivity
As we’ll cover in our next article, transparency and communication are key. A lack of strong communication is cited as one of the top complaints workers have when navigating change within their department. That’s why many departments depend on coaching during these periods. Coaches can work with leaders to develop an effective communication plan, ensure that it’s delivered effectively and make sure employees feel heard during the process.
During periods of change, strong leadership is more important than ever. Effective leaders help team members stay focused during times of transition, maintain productivity and keep morale high. It’s not an easy task, but your leadership team doesn’t have to go it alone. The right partners and resources can help make the transition period successful and positive. Leah M. Joppy and Associates is ready to help departments and/or individuals navigate major changes through specific coaching – all of which will help managers and their teams thrive! Call us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com and let’s get started.