Why Does Change Make Us So Insecure?

Change is hard… and it seems like every company is going through some level of change, from layoffs to cost-cutting (“efficiencies”) to significant strategy changes and even moving teams around.

Along with this change is usually a lot of uncertainty, as we wait for more details to find out how it will impact us. Having to sit with this uncertainty is hard… for all of us. Why? Because we don’t know if we’re going to be okay. Our sense of stability is shaken, and we don’t have answers about our future. In some cases, we might not even know when we will find out.

Change stops us in our tracks, because it hits on the very foundations that make us feel safe and sound:

1.?????Our job security and our ability to take care of others

2.?????Our careers (and future career progression)

3.?????Our identity (e.g. “I’m the go-to guy for X” or “I’m the gal who’s got it all together”)

4.?????Our compensation (and financial security)

5.?????Who we work with: our co-workers, managers, clients, etc. Our work community

Not all these things impact everyone to the same degree. We come from different backgrounds, have different life situations and expectations for the future. However, many of us may be dealing with many of these at the same time. It’s overwhelming, emotionally exhausting and at times…terrifying.

As our workplaces move from the “current state” to the “future state”, we may have to learn new systems/processes, take on unfamiliar tasks or be evaluated by a new set of metrics or people. “New” may not feel comfortable and is often not easy.

It is no surprise that we can start to second-guess our capabilities, suffer from unrealistic expectations or climb under the proverbial rock because we’re worried we won’t be good enough. This is completely reasonable given our situation.

So, if you’re feeling some or all these things, try to go easy on yourself and not beat yourself up for being in this situation – it usually has nothing to do with you. Talk to your co-workers. They are likely feeling the same way and will be grateful that you reached out to them.

It is okay to be scared and anxious. It doesn’t mean something is wrong with you, or you’re not “handling” things well. It just means this change is a big deal.

Even if you’ve been through many corporate changes, “reshufflings” or M&A, it is still scary. The fear doesn’t go away - we just have more practice with it. With time, we get back up, learn the new ways and find ourselves to be…okay.