It’s a tall task to find an organization that doesn’t regularly experience some degree of change, and employees who don’t struggle with the process that often includes changes in their day-to-day way of doing work.

The change process doesn’t discriminate on scope of project–small or large, departmental or enterprise-wide, change can fail. Change of any variety can also rub a lot of people the wrong way, especially if they don’t know that it’s coming, don’t understand why it’s needed and don’t have input into the intended outcome.

Essentially, people fear what they don’t know, and fear is typically a driver to stay precisely put.

Put fear and change together into any workplace and you, as an employer, have the perfect recipe for many unhappy employees–this includes not only those who have invested their time and efforts to deliver you the most beautiful project and a fabulous change management plan, but also those who see absolutely no need for getting behind the project or the change because they’re quite happy with the status quo.

Metaphorically speaking, your upcoming change can look like one of two things: a fight or a dance.

The fight is what’s described above–it’s the unpleasant part of the change process and typically involves (figurative) blood, (but sometimes literal) sweat and/or tears, and this can turn the most thoughtful change plan into a massive change failure. Why? Because as wonderfully detailed and precise the plan is, if the people who are needed to make change happen aren’t on board—wait for it—nothing is going to change. You and your project team will forever hit a wall and it will be a very difficult wall to scale.

I hope that what you experience with your change is more like a dance. Someone leads, someone follows and the exchange is fluid. It’s a partnership built on a mutual understanding and respect. Might someone accidentally step on their partners toes? Sure. Could there be a technical glitch with the music? Perhaps. Do either of these make the dance a failure? Not at all, and for one key reason: the dancers trained together with a mutually supported, shared vision in mind.

To make your change to feel less like a fight and more like a dance, there are some things you can prioritize in your change management process in order to get employees on board.

1. Communicate Early and Often

Employees don’t want to hear from HR, IT, the project manager or even the change manager. They want to hear major communications from the CEO or executive leaders, followed by ongoing, regular communications from their direct leader. Guaranteed, the number one question that flashes to the forefront of any employee’s mind when presented with an upcoming change is: what’s in it for me? Leaders need to be able to clearly communicate why this change matters, why employees should care and how it will impact their day-to-day work. By doing this, you are literally making the case for change.

Key point: This isn’t a one-and-done effort. Be visible to employees throughout the change.

2. Be Authentic

As a leader, being transparent with your employees about the change right from the beginning is imperative. At the very beginning of the process, be honest about what’s not working and why the change is needed to help comfort them and show them that the change is not just a corporate mandate they are required to fulfill. Speak to their emotions and leave the data out of it. Remember, people fear the unknown. You can be that true, authentic leader by being compassionate in helping them understand the situation and the need for change. John P. Kotter reminds us, “the emotional reaction then provides the energy that propels people to push along the change process.”

Key point: These messages need to come from you, the leader, and as no plan is ever perfect, when mistakes happen along the way it’s best to acknowledge you “stepped on their toes” and move on.

3. Ask for Input

Many change initiatives are done to employees rather than with employees. It may sound obvious, but leaders asking and then actively listening to the opinions and experiences of those who will be impacted by the change will not only increase the chance of them buying into it and informing your change management process, but it will also create space for an individual to self-identify as your change champion. Don’t forget about this person; they will be your voice when you’re not in the room and if you include them properly, they will help to move things along without you even having to ask.

Key point: Ask employees for their input in person; face-to-face conversation when embarking on a change is like gold.

4. Plan to Hear from the Nay-Sayers

There will always be employees who drag their heels, critique the project and the need for change, and in some cases will find creative ways to avoid the change altogether. Plan ahead by thinking about what questions they will ask, what parts of the process they will critique and where they could look to deviate from the new way of doing things and plan accordingly. As time passes and the change sinks in, their feelings will probably subside, but until then, having planned strategies to mitigate resistance (and being consistent with these across the impacted groups) will only strengthen your change process and increase your chances of seeing the benefits of your change.

5. Help Others Accept Change

It’s difficult for people to accept a new beginning if they can’t (or don’t know why they have to) let go of their current state. If you need your employees to begin a new way of doing something, you’ll need to support them in saying goodbye to the way they’re currently doing it. This can be challenging, especially in cases where they see nothing wrong with the current state. Your employees may experience anxiety, fear of loss (perceived or real) and even anger; people flourish inside routine and consistency and now you’re asking them to disrupt all of that–it’s natural to expect some resistance. Reiterate the benefits and remind them how they will be supported during the change, either with training, or by other means. Best practices include seeking out conversations with these employees, truly listening to them and practicing empathy.

This is far from an exhaustive list of things to consider when you find yourself facing change. Ongoing communication, demonstrating follow-through, and measuring and celebrating success are just as important. Without thoughtfully and genuinely considering your people, your subsequent efforts will risk failing. Supporting the people who will be most impacted by the change and required to adjust the way they do things to make the change succeed will play a major role in having your change management truly feel less like a fight and more like a dance.

Jackie Connelly, BFA, CPHR, has built upon her past HR generalist and business consultant experience, as her current organizational development role at BC Transit allows her to manage change by leading and supporting the development and delivery of HR strategies, policies and procedures that support and empower people to do their best work.

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