Simple Steps to Help Employees Cope With Organizational Changes

Today’s best managers know that they need to manage change so that employee attitudes and behaviors don’t suffer as a result of the change. Employees who believe that they have been involved in a change process and who feel that they have been included in decision-making will cope more effectively with change than will employees who don’t feel this way. Keeping employees informed and consulted during changes helps create social pressure among employees, and that influences employees to support each other. Giving employees accurate and timely information helps them have a sense of predictability, which gives them more control, and helps them feel more capable during changes.

Source: Jimmieson, N. L., Peach, M., & White, K. M. 2008. Utilizing the theory of planned behavior to inform change management: An investigation of employee intention to support organizational change. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 44, 237-262.