The Emotional Change Blue-Print

45% of employees were burned out by organisational changes in 2023. Said Gartner

Managing Organisational Change with Psychological Insights

Back in 2016, 74% of employees were willing to support organisational changes, but that number dropped to 38% in 2022. That’s likely why, for 53% of HR leaders, mitigating this change fatigue is a top priority. Gartner

Examining the impact of change on people and the importance of demonstrating agility in business is crucial for several reasons, particularly in today's fast-paced and unpredictable environment.

Here are some key considerations:

• Rapid Technological Advances: The speed at which technology evolves necessitates constant adaptation and learning. Businesses and their employees must be agile to stay competitive and relevant, as new technologies can quickly transform industries and market demands.
• Globalisation and Market Dynamics: Globalisation has intensified competition and created more interconnected markets. Businesses must be agile to navigate the complexities of operating in diverse cultural, regulatory, and economic landscapes. Agility enables companies to seize cross-border opportunities and mitigate risks associated with global operations.
• Changing Consumer Expectations: Consumer preferences and expectations are constantly shifting, influenced by technology, social trends, and global events. Agile businesses can adapt their products, services, and customer experiences quickly to meet these changing demands, fostering loyalty and staying ahead of competitors.
• Workforce Dynamics: The nature of work is changing, with more emphasis on flexibility, remote working, and project-based roles. Understanding the impact of these changes on people helps businesses create supportive, adaptable work environments that attract and retain talent. Demonstrating agility in organisational structure and culture can enhance employee engagement and productivity.
• Crisis Management and Resilience: The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of agility in responding to crises. Businesses that could pivot their operations, such as by moving online or adapting their supply chains, were better able to withstand the disruptions. Agility in crisis management involves not just surviving but finding ways to thrive and innovate in the face of challenges.
• Sustainability and Ethical Considerations: There's a growing expectation for businesses to operate sustainably and ethically. Agile businesses can quickly integrate sustainable practices and respond to ethical concerns, aligning their operations with societal values and regulatory changes. This not only benefits the planet and communities but also builds brand reputation and trust.
• Innovation and Competitive Advantage: Agility fosters a culture of innovation, where businesses can rapidly experiment, learn from failures, and capitalise on new opportunities. This continuous innovation cycle is essential for maintaining a competitive edge and driving growth.
• Employee Well-being and Change Management: Understanding the human aspect of change helps businesses implement transitions more effectively, minimising resistance and enhancing buy-in. Supporting employees through change, by fostering resilience and adaptability, directly contributes to organisational agility and success.

Understanding the impact of change on people and emphasising agility in business are essential for navigating the complexities of the modern world. Agile businesses are better positioned to adapt to changes, overcome challenges, and seize opportunities, ultimately achieving sustainable growth and success.

What does change feel like?

Change can evoke a wide range of emotions and sensations, as it often disrupts familiar patterns and requires adaptation to new circumstances. The experience of change can vary significantly from person to person, influenced by factors such as the nature of the change, individual resilience, and the context in which the change occurs.

Here are some common feelings and reactions people may have to change:

• Anxiety and Fear: Change can provoke anxiety and fear, especially if the outcome is uncertain or perceived as potentially negative. People may worry about their ability to adapt or the impact of the change on their lives.
• Excitement and Optimism: Conversely, change can also be exciting and bring a sense of optimism, particularly if it's associated with positive developments like a new job, moving to a desired location, or personal growth opportunities.
• Stress and Overwhelm: The process of adjusting to change can be stressful, particularly if it requires significant effort or adaptation in a short period. This can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed, especially when multiple changes occur simultaneously.
• Sadness and Loss: Changes that involve endings or loss, such as the end of a relationship or career, can elicit feelings of sadness and grief. People may mourn the loss of the familiar and the security it provided.
• Resistance and Denial: It's not uncommon for people to resist change or be in denial about its necessity or impact. This resistance often stems from a desire to maintain the status quo and avoid the discomfort of adjustment.
• Curiosity and Learning: Change can spark curiosity and a desire to learn, as it often requires acquiring new skills or knowledge. This can be an energizing aspect of change, particularly for those who enjoy challenges and personal development.
• Disorientation and Confusion: Initially, change can lead to feelings of disorientation or confusion as individuals struggle to understand the new situation and find their footing.
• Relief: If the change is perceived as a positive solution to a problematic situation, it can lead to feelings of relief and satisfaction.
• Isolation or Connectedness: Depending on the individual's support system and the nature of the change, people can feel isolated, believing that others may not understand what they're going through. Alternatively, shared experiences of change can also lead to a sense of connectedness with others facing similar situations.
• Empowerment: Successfully navigating through change can ultimately lead to a sense of empowerment, as individuals realise their ability to adapt and overcome challenges.

Understanding these varied responses to change is crucial for providing appropriate support to oneself and others during transitions, recognising that these feelings may ebb and flow as the process of adaptation continues.

In the economic climate, HR teams must remain agile, adapt strategies to be aligned with the organisation and ensure they have the tools to be responsive to changing conditions. This will ensure they will be able to continue to add meaningful value to both employees and the business.

The Importance of Being Equipped for Change

During periods of change, it's a well-documented phenomenon that individuals often experience heightened levels of anxiety and uncertainty. Recognising and addressing this emotional turmoil is not just compassionate; it's a strategic imperative for ensuring a smooth and effective transition. Understanding the impact of change on people's current state is crucial for tailoring support mechanisms that can mitigate stress and foster resilience.

This requires a commitment to comprehensive research, aiming to uncover the specific needs, concerns, and coping mechanisms of those affected. By investing in such insights, HR can develop targeted strategies that not only ease the transition process but also enhance the overall well-being and productivity of their workforce (an emotional blue-print).

Initiatives might include open communication channels, training and development options, mental health support, and inclusive decision-making processes. Ultimately, by prioritising the psychological health of employees during change, businesses can cultivate a more adaptive, engaged, and sustainable organisation culture.

The Kübler-Ross Change Curve is a powerful framework that illustrates the emotional journey through which individuals typically progress in response to change. Initially, there is often a phase of shock or surprise upon encountering a significant change, which may quickly lead to denial, as individuals hope to find evidence that the change is not real or not necessary.

The Emotional Change Blue-Print

Change is inevitable, and how we prepare for, respond to, and manage change is pivotal to our success. The first step is a candid self-assessment to evaluate how flexible, open, and resilient you are in the face of change. Questions to consider include your response to unexpected challenges, your willingness to learn and let go of outdated practices, and your ability to maintain productivity amid uncertainty.

Similarly, assessing your team's preparedness is crucial. A team that is diverse, communicative, and cohesive is better positioned to tackle change. This involves evaluating the team's skill diversity, its history with change, and the quality of communication among members.

As the reality of the change settles in, frustration may arise due to recognition that things are indeed different, potentially leading to anger. At this stage, it is critical to maximise communication to address concerns and provide clarity.

The lowest point on the curve is often marked by depression, where individuals may experience a low mood or lack of energy. To counter this, it is essential to spark motivation, which can lead to the upward trajectory of the curve.

With motivation comes experimentation, where individuals start to engage with the new situation, and the development of capability, as they acquire new skills and knowledge necessary to adapt. This phase is where sharing knowledge becomes a key driver of progress.

Finally, as individuals learn how to function in the new reality, they reach the decision phase, beginning to feel more positive about the changes. The culmination of this process is integration, where the changes are fully assimilated, leading to a renewed sense of self and competence.

This model not only helps in understanding and anticipating the emotional responses to change but also provides a guide for supporting individuals through the transition, with targeted actions at each phase to facilitate a healthy and sustainable change journey.

Increase Change Success with Hogan Assessments

Hogan Assessments provide a nuanced framework for understanding individual and team dynamics, particularly in relation to managing change and agility. These assessments, through their focus on personality under normal conditions, stress responses, and core values, offer a detailed picture of where agility gaps might exist and how they can be addressed.

Unlocking change behaviours using the Hogan Assessment suite involves leveraging their various tools to understand and influence how individuals and teams respond to change.

Here's how Hogan can be instrumental in this process:

• Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI): The HPI assesses the 'bright side' of personality - how we relate to others when we are at our best. Understanding one’s bright-side personality can help predict how they will behave in times of stability and change, and leaders can use this information to motivate individuals by aligning change initiatives with their natural strengths and tendencies.
• Hogan Development Survey (HDS): The HDS measures the 'dark side' of personality - traits that can emerge during stress or fatigue, which can potentially derail performance. By identifying these tendencies, organisations can coach individuals to recognise and manage their stress behaviors, which is crucial during change.
• Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory (MVPI): The MVPI reveals an individual’s core values, goals, and interests. Understanding what drives employees can help leaders design change initiatives that resonate on a personal level, thus reducing resistance and enhancing engagement.
• Judgment Assessment: The Hogan Judgment model combines cognitive ability, decision-making style, and reactions to feedback to understand how individuals process information and make decisions. This is particularly useful in change situations where decision-making is under pressure, and the ability to learn from feedback is crucial.

By utilising these Hogan assessments, organisations can:

• Identify Change Agents: Find individuals who have the personality traits that predispose them to embrace change and help lead the transformation.
• Tailor Communication: Customise communication strategies to address the diverse motivational drivers and potential derailers within the team.
• Develop Resilience: Coach individuals on managing stress and building resilience, which are essential for navigating change.
• Foster Inclusivity: Ensure that change initiatives respect the values and preferences of all team members, fostering an inclusive environment.
• Build Agile Teams: Structure teams to include a mix of personalities that together can handle various aspects of change effectively.
• Enhance Decision-Making: Develop decision-making skills and cognitive agility among leaders and teams to better handle the complexities of change.
• Create Development Plans: Use insights from the assessments to create personalised development plans that support individuals in becoming more adaptable and change-ready.

Hogan assessments provide an emotional change blue-print of the workforce, which can be used to unlock change behaviours in a way that aligns with both the individuals' personalities and the companies goals, thereby facilitating smoother transitions and more successful change initiatives.

70% of workers say they gain a sense of purpose from their work

As an HR leader, it’s partially your responsibility to help your employees find their purpose. Find what your employees want and offer it to them. McKinsey

Identifying and Addressing Agility Gaps

These assessments help in pinpointing behavioral tendencies and stress responses that may hinder agility. They also assess motivational drivers, revealing potential misalignments with company changes. By understanding these aspects, targeted interventions can be developed, focusing on personal and team development plans, workshops to improve team dynamics, and leadership development aimed at enhancing flexibility and resilience.

Demonstrating Agility to Leadership

Proactively showing agility involves more than adapting to changes; it's about contributing to a culture of adaptability. This includes taking the initiative in new projects, focusing on solutions during challenges, leading by example to inspire others, and providing constructive feedback on change processes.

The synergy of self-awareness and insights from Hogan Assessments equips individuals and organisations to navigate the complexities of change effectively.

By understanding personal and team dynamics related to change, developing targeted interventions based on the Emotional Change Blue-Print, and demonstrating agility, you not only enhance your capability to manage change but also position yourself as a valuable asset to your organisation. Embracing change as an opportunity for growth enables you to lead in fostering an environment where agility and adaptability are at the forefront of overcoming challenges and achieving success.

If you would like to learn more here are FREE Hogan Events:

• VIP Audio Event - Hogan Recruitment and Coaching on 6th March join here
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