What leadership skills are essential for employee engagement during change?

1 Vision and purpose

One of the most important leadership skills for employee engagement during change is to communicate a clear and compelling vision and purpose for the change. Why is the change necessary? What are the benefits and challenges? How does it align with the organization's mission and values? By answering these questions, you can help your employees understand the rationale and direction of the change and inspire them to support it and contribute to it.

2 Empathy and feedback

Another key leadership skill for employee engagement during change is to show empathy and solicit feedback from your employees. Change can be stressful, uncertain, and disruptive for many people, so it's vital to acknowledge their emotions, concerns, and needs and provide them with support and resources. It's also crucial to listen to their ideas, suggestions, and feedback and incorporate them into the change process whenever possible. By doing so, you can build trust, respect, and collaboration among your employees and make them feel valued and involved.

3 Adaptability and resilience

A third essential leadership skill for employee engagement during change is to demonstrate adaptability and resilience in the face of challenges and setbacks. Change is often complex, dynamic, and unpredictable, so you need to be flexible, agile, and creative in responding to changing circumstances and solving problems. You also need to be resilient, optimistic, and confident in overcoming difficulties and learning from failures. By showing these qualities, you can model positive and proactive behaviors for your employees and encourage them to cope and grow with the change.

4 Recognition and reward

A fourth important leadership skill for employee engagement during change is to recognize and reward your employees for their efforts and achievements during the change. Change can be demanding, exhausting, and risky for many employees, so it's essential to appreciate their hard work, dedication, and innovation and celebrate their successes and milestones. You can use various forms of recognition and reward, such as praise, feedback, recognition programs, incentives, or perks, to motivate, energize, and retain your employees and reinforce the desired outcomes of the change.

5 Learning and development

A fifth key leadership skill for employee engagement during change is to provide your employees with learning and development opportunities to help them adapt and thrive in the new situation. Change often requires new skills, knowledge, and behaviors from your employees, so it's important to offer them training, coaching, mentoring, or other forms of learning and development to equip them with the necessary competencies and confidence. You can also encourage your employees to pursue their own learning goals, share their best practices, and learn from each other to foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.