As Labor Day signals the end of summer vacations, you may have realized that it will be a while before your next break. Worse yet, is some news from the American Psychologcal Association. It found that employee stress costs U.S. businesses an estimated $300 billion a year.
Stress equals high turnover, which kills your bottom line. Doing more with less has become a mantra for countless companies trying to cope with the recession. Consequently, new demands are being placed on employees.
This change is a major cause of workplace angst. But your team doesn’t have to suffer.
In order to survive, change is needed but numerous studies have found that people are having a tough time adjusting to the unexpected. As a result, employee stress is going up, productivity is going down, and employers find themselves having to pay the replacement costs for employee departures.
You can’t prevent change but maybe you can handle its introduction a little better so your top performers will stay with your organization. Here are ideas to help you Clear the Path the next time, you find yourself introducing potentially unpopular change to your team:
Think About Children
Adults and children both like to have routines that are predictable and stable. In young kids, sudden changes can lead to tantrums. While your employees may be a bit more mature, don’t underestimate the emotional impact of something new and unexpected. New things are a lot less scary if you know that they are coming.
Do you want your team to be focused on the job or on frustration with a new problem that’s just entered the workplace? One option makes you money, the other takes away productivity.
Explain the Reason
Have you ever been told about a new process that seemed totally silly and didn’t make sense? But later you found out the policy actually was a good idea and a smart practice for the company. What made the difference? Simply finding out the reason for the change.
Frequently this doesn’t happen as a manager’s job is simply seen as stating the change but not explaining why it’s important. Or the leaders may assume that the rank and file will immediately make the connection between a challenge and a solution. If this assumption is wrong, you’re putting out the welcome mat for stress on the job.
For two more tips on this topic, read the rest of this article.
