Few words can inspire fear in a workplace like the word "change". An employee that hears their normal routine is going to be changing often gets worried about what that may mean for them and their future. It can be worrisome for them to not know what might be happening. This situation is where a great manager can shine and show their employees that workplace changes can be adjusted to relatively easily in the long run.

How Can a Manager Help Their Employees Adjust to Workplace Changes?

As a manager, you're often in charge of handling any workplace changes that come down the line. Not only do you have to implement the change itself to get your employees on board with doing something new or using a different software, but you have to get them mentally prepared for the change.

Change is difficult for a variety of reasons. For some of your employees, the change is something they don't want to deal with because it means they have to do their tasks differently. Some people just don't want to learn a new technique or software even if it may make things easier.

For others, it's a more emotional or mental feeling of worry over what the change is going to mean in the long run. Some may have worries that they may end up being replaced eventually because of this change.

This is where a good manager can come in and help ease the transition into the changes. They can make it an easier process in a few ways. One of the first is to be transparent about the change. Be as upfront as possible about any potential downsides to the change while still telling everyone about the benefits that they will see. You don't want to sugarcoat it if it's not all good news.

Be willing to help people through the change as best as you can. You'll also want to remember that not everyone adjusts to change in the same manner, so you may need to treat employees differently. You may find what helps one group of employees catch on the to change and make the adjustment just doesn't work for all of the employees.

What Are Some Important Tips for Managers in Changing Workplaces?

Some tips to help managers get their employees to better adjust to workplace changes include:

• Have an open door policy. You don't want to be that manager that only speaks to their employees when they have it set on their agenda. Of course, there are times when you're honestly not available, but try to be as open as possible with when employees can come to talk with you.
• Be ready to be a good listener. As a manager, you have to use active listening skills to let your employees know that you hear their concerns and discuss them. Even if it's the same concern over and over again, you don't want to give your employees the feeling that you're dismissive of what they have come to talk to you about.
• Try to implement the change slowly in a gradual way. This particular tip may not be possible in every scenario, but going slowly when possible can help. For instance, only train a few people at a time on the new software so that everyone can see that it's not going to be as big a problem as they fear.

Why Is Formal Training a Great Way to Get All Managers on the Same Page?

Formal training to help managers get to the point where they are all on the same page able to work with their employees through company changes can make a big difference. Managers at the same company that are able to treat their employees in the same manner have a consistency that doesn't promote ill feelings. All the managers learn the same coping skills, and can better guide their employees through a change.

Is Formal Training Right For Your Employees?

Are you considering a formal training opportunity for your managers on helping employees better adjust to change in the workplace? Contact Infotec today to learn more about Change Management classes offered, and how it can assist your company.