Organizational change

Communicating organizational change

1. Communication is the foundation to successful management of organizational change.
2. The goal of communication during organization change is to deliver information that changes behavior in front-line employees.

Getting “buy in” represents 90% of the effort needed to accomplish any change effort. Many managers are embracing e-mail, intranets, and other technological innovations as efficient solutions to the high communication demands during times of change. However, simply making information available is not the same as communication.

During organizational change employees are often in turmoil, fearing loss of employment security and loss of loyalty to seemingly uncaring employers. For all its capacity, information technology provides only limited relief for the anxieties and frustrations of human resources burdened by change.

Factors in communicating organizational change

During organization change perception equals reality: The level of stress an employee feels during organizational change is proportional to the level of perceived threat. Managers need to anticipate and adjust their communication to minimize the perception of threat during change.

Organizational change trust and credibility: A message is as credible as the highest credible source that will state it.  Trust is the single most important factor in the perception of a threat.

To gain the advantages of trust, managers must understand the basis of trust.
• Honesty and openness
• Competence and expertise
• Dedication and commitment
• Caring and empathy

Organization change Perceived control: Research shows that when we feel we have some control over an event it is perceived as less threatening.

Making sure employees have a voice in decisions, in an appropriate manner is critical to their sense of control and therefore acceptance of organization change. It does not constitute a vote or a veto. What employees need is assurance that their point of view has been heard, reasonably considered and responded to before the decision is made.

Personal benefit: A change that has a definable level of benefit is not seen as threatening as one that does not.

Organizational change more communication tips

Emphasize what matters to the employee, not the company. Studies have shown that what employees want to know is what the future plans of the company are relative to their local work area.

Communicate Performance. By letting people know where they stand it becomes clear to them that what they do matters.

Communicate in person. Communication about important changes needs to be made face-to-face. Supervisors should bring communications directly to the people that matter, when they need it most - when they ask a question.

Organizational change: systems and policies
Assess, as early as possible, which organization systems and policies might need to be developed during the change process.

Organizational change keynote presentation: Communicating change

Making the Most of Difficult Situation
Changing Markets, Changing Times
This funny, insightful program combines communication skills with no-fluff motivation and change to deliver real solutions in uncertain times. Professional speaker and business relationship expert, Garrison Wynn , examines the challenges we face and shows how we can laugh at our problems while using them as catalysts for success. This session covers a lot of ground and provides no-cost, easily implemented, proven solutions that your managers can use right away.

• Building trust, credibility,and Loyalty
• The secret to successfully change management: maximizing strengths and minimizing weaknesses
• Listening like a leader
• How to stay motivated in difficult situations
• Managing Your Mouth: Your Most Valuable Business Asset
• Getting good results when people are scared
• Better communications before during and after transitions
• Why the smartest people are not in charge: the geniuses work for the risk takers
• Reducing the fear of failure
• Action creates opportunity
• Increasing employee accountability when you need it the most

Garrison Wynn Biography | Testimonials | Client list

Organizational change training workshop: Communicating change

Communication in Action
Communication Skills for successfully managing organizational change

This insightful one-day program combines Wynn Solutions’ research of 5,000 top communicators in 323 organizations and 11 industries, with specific strategies for building trust and gaining agreement. Going beyond best practices, this session will show how employees can achieve their goals without stepping on the toes of their co-workers.

Suggested agenda

• How to make people feel important, so you and what you have to offer will be important to them: creating an effective environment
• How to overcome resistance to change
• Make sure processes are consistently implemented
• How behavior can cause skills and knowledge to lose impact
• Communicating change: how to move positive ideas through the company
• Dealing with difficult coworkers
• The truth about trust: how to make sure people feel heard
• How to get people to listen to you: believability and clarity
• How to get people to agree with you: managing expectations and emotions
• The five things you should never say to a customer or coworker
• One-on-one communication skills: connecting with your team
• The secret to success: maximizing strengths and minimizing weaknesses
• How to stay motivated in difficult situations
• How engaged employees drive customer loyalty
• Accountability: How to avoid blame distribution
• How to manage your boss

Additional training programs provided by Wynn Solutions for sales, customer service and presentation skills

Pre-training assessments for organizational change workshops available