Organisations going through change naturally focus on the project being implemented – what has to be done by when to complete the fleet improvement plan. Yet we don't often don’t give as much thought to what people need to do differently to achieve the desired results. At the same time, most fleet improvements won’t succeed without employees somehow adopting new ways of working.
Here are a few start-up tips :
- Listen First, Talk Second: To overcome resistance to change you first need to make sure you communicate. Communication is crucial— you already knew that. However, try letting your employees start the conversation. People want to be heard, and giving them the opportunity to voice their opinions will help alleviate the frustration they might feel over the situation. In addition, your employee’s ideas, concerns and suggestions will prove extremely valuable to steer your change project. At a minimum, understanding them will help you focus on the root of employee resistance to change.
- Communicate the Reasons for Change: To overcome resistance to change it is important to communicate the why, what and how. Develop a communication plan that goes beyond just telling your employees what you want them to do. Effective communication segments and addresses each audience, focusing on what they care about and need to know. Highlight why this change will benefit each of them specifically.
- Make it About Staff: Change is only possible if your human resources are on board, so make sure your approach changes from your employees perspective. How will this benefit them? Will they gain time? Will it make their job easier? Will it increase their contribution to the success of the organisation?
- Get Excited: Your conviction and enthusiasm are contagious. How you communicate the change has a huge impact on how much resistance to change will occur. If you heartfely communicate the reasons for change, you will be more convincing. Any hesitancy or second thought will undermine your endeavor.
- Show Them the Data: While resistance to change is usually emotional rather than logical, it can be helpful to use some hard facts. Let your employees see the data for themselves. This is a great way to simultaneously show transparency and demonstrate the need for improvement.
To help you develop your message about the change, we have provided two downloadable resources below.
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