Coming through the pandemic has been life-changing in every way, and a significant part of how you\u2019ll get back to a better work experience will require supporting people through the myriad changes you\u2019ll face. While in some ways, everything will be different, many of the fundamentals will still apply.<\/p>\n
![\"Illustration](\"https:\/\/steelcase-res.cloudinary.com\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_auto,q_70,h_1024,w_1024\/v1611678840\/www.steelcase.com\/2021\/01\/26\/20-0146632.jpg\")
\nThe pandemic has introduced tremendous uncertainty and volatility. Coming back from it, and the choices you make\u2014including the ways you guide the organization through this change\u2014will have a long-term impact. They will be a window to your organization\u2019s values, integrity and leadership, and they will have lasting influence. It\u2019s a lot of pressure, yes, but it\u2019s also a lot of opportunity to influence a bright future.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/p>\n
Perhaps one of the greatest shifts in change management is the audience for change. Pre-pandemic, there were always groups who were going through more change, and those who were going through less change. Even in a large-scale effort, there were people who could provide distance and objectivity based on not going through as much change themselves.<\/p>\n
Of course, everything is different today, because every person has been affected by the pandemic in some way. Every region, every position and every type of person\u2014no matter what work they do\u2014has dealt with the impact of the coronavirus. This is both good news and bad news. On the positive side, people can be more empathetic to each other and you can expect bonds to be strengthened based on getting through a tough experience together. However, you\u2019ll have a lot of intentional work to do in planning how you\u2019ll support everyone through the change. When you assess stakeholders, you may need to provide more or less coaching, training or orientation to some audiences, but no one will be untouched, and you\u2019ll need to consider this in the scope and scale for your efforts.<\/p>\n
Humans are resilient and going through the pandemic has changed us all. This will matter to your change management efforts because employee expectations are shifting. Through our Work Better research, we\u2019re learning there are elements of working from home people have loved, and also things they are happy to leave behind. Likewise, there are attributes about the office they have missed and also, things they haven\u2019t. We have also learned they have expanded expectations for control over where and how they work.<\/p>\n
All of these shifts in expectations will be critical for you to understand as you lead the change management effort. You\u2019ll need to assess employee expectations and how they\u2019ve shifted, clarify the conditions to which they\u2019ll return\u2014both in the long term and the short term\u2014and help employees adapt over time.<\/p>\n
With so much that has changed and so much at stake in bringing people back to new conditions, you might conclude that change management must take a right-angle turn as well. But actually, the fundamentals of change management<\/a> remain\u2014with some important adjustments.<\/p>\n The business and the why.<\/strong> The people and their engagement.<\/strong> Behaviors.<\/strong> Tools and protocols.<\/strong> Risk.<\/strong> Leader accessibility and transparency.<\/strong> Ultimately, how you manage change matters tremendously, because it is a mirror of your culture, your values, your strengths and\u2014yes\u2014your weaknesses. People will draw conclusions about your organization based on the actual changes you make, and based on how you manage the change process<\/a>. You can come back from the conditions created by the coronavirus successfully. You can respond to the pandemic effectively. But the real opportunity is to use the recent experience to learn and improve\u2014to work better. The most significant difficulties can be fuel for the greatest improvements. This is the opportunity with change management\u2014to lead the organization through the change and implement a better workplace that supports work and workers in new ways.<\/p>\n Change Management consulting is available from our Applied Research + Consulting (ARC) team, considering opportunities to plan, implement and sustain change. Our approach is holistic and user-centered, ensuring engagement by connecting organizations to Steelcase\u2019s extensive workplace research.<\/p>\n Successful change management requires an intentional approach and an investment of time and energy. Our ARC team guides you through the process and helps ensure efficiency based on our extensive experience.<\/p>\n
\nWhatever changes you\u2019re making, ensure you clearly communicate the why, the context and the connections to the business. This big picture and your vision will be critical for people to understand and get on board. Keep in mind the case you build and the purposes for the change will need to be relevant to the pandemic. Perhaps you\u2019re on course for the changes you had planned originally. Or perhaps you\u2019re using the pandemic to accelerate shifts in your business. Maybe you\u2019re taking brand new steps to bring your workplace in line with your new strategy. Regardless, clearly articulate how your actions are connected to your response to the pandemic, how they make sense given the current context and how they are tied to the success of your business and your employees.<\/p>\n
\nPeople have been buffeted by the pandemic. Even if their own roles or workloads haven\u2019t changed, they\u2019ve witnessed others\u2019 that have. In leading your change management, make an effort to engage people, involve them and clarify how they fit in the change. Ensure they see their place in the work as well as the workplace. It won\u2019t make sense to give everyone a vote, but they will need to feel they have a voice and they matter.<\/p>\n
\nShifting the workplace will catalyze changes in behavior. You\u2019re probably making workplace changes to foster collaboration, speed, innovation or the like. Don\u2019t leave behavior to chance. Clarify what you need from people, what will be different and how you expect the workplace to drive new (or renewed) outcomes. In the short term, you may be taking steps such as performing temperature checks or adjusting circulation patterns throughout your space. In the longer term, routines may shift, but you\u2019ll need to let people know how they should act and interact to be successful and contribute to the business.<\/p>\n
\nClosely related to individual behaviors are group norms and agreements between team members. You\u2019ll want to give more-than-the-usual attention to these because of all the changes the pandemic has wrought. Going forward, you may have more people working away from the office, so you\u2019ll need to ensure team members are communicating about how they\u2019ll stay connected and how they\u2019ll maintain their work flow. Tools and technology must be part of this discussion as well. You may be providing enhanced technology for people at home or in the office, and you\u2019ll need to plan for how employees will learn to use new tools. If team members will be collaborating more frequently from a distance, you\u2019ll want to ensure they are incorporating technology and protocols to reduce presence disparity and foster effective collaboration.<\/p>\n
\nHaving come through hard times, people may be more sensitive. Provide them with as many specifics as possible about how the workplace will look, how their work process will be accommodated and the changes they can expect. When they go through change, one of people\u2019s biggest fears is they won\u2019t be able to get their work done effectively. Respond to this concern with details about how the work process will be supported by the new work experience. It\u2019s also powerful to share evidence from credible sources<\/a>\u2014which helps validate the changes you\u2019re making. Overall, when you reduce ambiguity, you reduce the perceived risks\u2014or costs\u2014associated with the change.<\/p>\n
\nOur research demonstrates that people desire workplaces where leaders are present and accessible, and leadership is always critical for successful change management. In the process of getting back to a better work experience, this is especially true. Because of the pressure and difficulty of the pandemic, leaders\u2019 capabilities have come into focus. Ensure you\u2019re developing leaders and clarifying the behaviors they must model. They\u2019ll need to be transparent, manage by performance more than presence, encourage connections among their team members and embrace new workplace strategies. In addition, leaders should make themselves accessible to answer questions, provide information and pave the way for greater acceptance of change.<\/p>\nIt matters how you manage the change<\/h3>\n
\nWhen change is managed well<\/a>, it has positive impacts on engagement, wellbeing and performance. It is also important to attraction and retention\u2014as people watch, assess and commit to your organization.<\/p>\n![\"Illustration](\"https:\/\/steelcase-res.cloudinary.com\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_auto,q_70,h_1024,w_1024\/v1611678960\/www.steelcase.com\/2021\/01\/26\/21-0151892-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\nWe can help<\/h3>\n