Why Are We Not Talking About the Impact of Change In the Workplace?

Change is constant, multi-layered, and here to stay in the workplace, that’s for sure. But are we getting any better at talking about the aspect of change that really matters? I don’t mean the reasons for the changes, the timeline, what this means for roles, the new job descriptions and how things work now. Most businesses cover those sorts of topics and, yes, they do matter, but...?

I’m talking about the, shied away from, topic of the impact change is having on employees and how we support them with that. The too often ignored, too difficult, awkward and uncomfortable truth about what is really going through our minds, how we feel and the impact it’s having on us in and out of work.?

Yes, the ruminating thoughts, questioning and doubting ourselves, feeling worry, fear, anxiety, dread, experiencing panic and broken sleep, struggling to concentrate, withdrawing and clamming up. Why are we not talking about that stuff, the human impact of change in the workplace??

In this article we explore what might be behind the challenge of talking about our experience during times of change, and how to encourage conversations that go beyond the process of change, to the human impact and cost.?

Why Silence Seems Golden

With change there can come a lot of ambiguity and uncertainty around the unknown and there can be stages with very little information to fill the gaps. In itself this not knowing where you stand can add to not talking about it - what’s there to say?

Meanwhile, there is a lot happening underneath for people, which is being forgotten and ignored, creating a vicious circle of not talking about what’s really going on for us.?

There are number of factors holding us back:

It’s too difficult - often it’s much easier to talk about the work to be done. That is what we are used to and we know how to do that. So rather than talk about the impact for us personally, we stick to what we know, that’s much simpler somehow.

Don’t know what to say - often we’re not sure what we are thinking and feeling ourselves, we are so immersed in it it can be hard to step out of the overall overwhelm to get clarity on what it is that’s going on inside us. So we don’t speak up and share, when that’s the exact thing that would help us with this.

We don’t understand what we're feeling - often we experience emotions and physical sensations that are unfamiliar to us and we don’t feel like ourselves. And there can be a lot of different feelings and physiological responses happening at the same time. When we can’t make sense of what’s going on for us we often can’t begin to explain it to someone else.

Concern about how we will look - we can worry about how we are going to come across if we start to share how we really feel and what’s really happening for us, and thoughts about what others will think of us can keep our lips tightly sealed. There’s an underlying fear of being judged as flawed or ridiculous in some way, the risk to share is too high.

Fear of repercussions - when things are uncertain and our part or place within that is doubly unsure, we can be extra cautious about what we do and what we say. It’s really hard to express your views and concerns about a change when there is fear about how that in itself may impact our standing in the organisation. Why would we jeopardise that?

Safer to keep quiet - a lack of transparency and norm around having conversations about the human impact of activities in the workplace in general, can foster an atmosphere of speculation, rumour, adding to a perceived lack of safety. This can further stifle open conversations about the change, never mind how it is impacting you individually.

There’s no point - when we perceive ourselves as having no influence or decision making power in a change situation, we can feel our thoughts and ideas are not valued or listened to, so we’d be wasting energy by sharing. So the likelihood of us talking about the impact all of this is then having on us slips further away and we keep it all inside. What’s there to be achieved by sharing what this is like for me?

The Cost of Avoidance

We might think it is easier, safer and better just to keep quiet as some sort of self-protection, keeping our heads down, not inviting difficult emotional conversations. There’s enough going on, why would we want to turn that stone over?

The unspoken impact of change in the workplace can be profound, affecting employee morale, productivity, and overall organisational success. In May 2023, People Management magazine, reported that two thirds (69%) of UK employees say workplace anxiety has increased on returning to the office, with the top two cited reasons being people’s mental health has declined, and redundancies or the business not doing so well has increased tensions.

In his book, ‘Lost Connections’, Johann Hari shares his finding that long term sources of stress and anxiety can make depression more likely. The disconnections include: disconnection from meaningful work, from status and respect, from a hopeful or secure future, and from other people.

When times are tough in business it is incredibly hard, if not impossible, to promise a secure future. However, it is always in our grasp to do something about the need for connection with others; to be close, to support each other, to have people we can count on and that sense of belonging.

Keeping what we are experiencing to ourselves for too long can trigger feelings of shame, feeling I am wrong, I’m not good enough, and there’s something inadequate about me for reacting how I am. I’m the problem. As Brene Brown states: “Shame is the fear of disconnection. Shame thrives on secrecy, silence and judgement” and “the less we talk about it, the more control it has over us. Shame hates being spoken”.

Making it Safe to Talk

Overcoming the silence surrounding change requires a proactive approach to communication and cultural transformation. Here are some ideas for encouraging open conversations about the human impact of change in the workplace:

1. Create safe spaces - establish forums, platforms, and opportunities where people can freely express their thoughts and concerns about workplace changes. Creating a safe space ensures that individuals feel heard and valued, reducing the fear of reprisal. Some need smaller spaces to feel safe so breaking into pairs during team meetings is one way to help.
2. Encourage conversations - once upon a time topics like mental health, sexuality, the menopause, grief and loss weren't spoken about in the workplace. Talking about the human impact of change more freely will come about by opening up these conversations, making sure everyone’s voice is heard. Simply ask open questions with genuine interest, care and compassion. Then listen. And hear.?
3. Normalise - thinking and feeling all the difficult messy stuff, and the more pleasant feelings of excitement and hope, are all perfectly natural human responses in times of change. Acknowledging the human experience of change as an understandable response to difficult and uncertain situations will help normalise what we go through. In turn, by having the conversations, we normalise talking about human impact in itself.?
4. Enable expression - whether it’s through bite-sized webinars, easily accessible resources, or facilitated sessions, give people tools to help them identify their thoughts, feelings, physiological responses and reactions and responses to the changes they are experiencing. Help them find the words and sentences to articulate what is going on for them so they have what they need to be able to express themselves.
5. Share stories - being open and sharing our stories full of thoughts and feelings and the impact this is having for us like not sleeping, finding it hard to concentrate on projects, or being in constant fight or flight mode, helps us to connect and relate. Leaders can lead by example by being authentic in what and how they share. This helps to alleviate fear of repercussions, lack of confidentiality and build psychological safety and trust. It’s so much easier to open up when others share their story and what they need. It just takes one courageous individual, whether they are a leader or a team member, to start the ripples.?

Vulnerable, Brave and Daring?

People are struggling with change in the workplace and the uncertainty tough transitions bring. They are worried about whether they have what it takes to do their jobs and do them well. They need to feel safe and supported to talk about what these changes feel like, how it is impacting them, and what would help them through what they are experiencing.?

It is possible to create a working environment where sharing the true human impact of what we are going through has a positive impact for individuals, teams and the organisation. It takes effort, care and attention. Listening and hearing. Authenticity and courage. It takes being vulnerable, brave and daring.

Next Steps

If you'd like to read more of my articles, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter ‘Human Beings, Being Human’.

And if you’d like to explore working together to help you find your voice to talk about your experience of change and express your needs, you can book an initial (free) exploratory conversation here .

#change #anxiety #confidence #hr #learninganddevelopment

References

Brown, Brene (2021), Atlas of the Heart, Vermilion.

Dave, Dan (2023), Two thirds of UK employees say workplace anxiety has increased on return to office, study finds, People Management magazine, 24 May, 2023.

Hari, Johann (2018), Lost Connections, Bloomsbury.