Businesses need to change and evolve in order to stay competitive and successful. The business must adapt to customers, technology, and processes in order to avoid becoming stale. However, change comes with its own challenges, especially significant change. In this article, we explore some of the issues businesses may face when implementing change. 

Employees resisting change

When employees have been in a role for a significant amount of time doing things a certain way, they might struggle to change to align with the new company vision. The new processes might be ignored, leading to problems within the organisation. Employees may also refuse to do things the new way, stating they know best. This can cause issues with inconsistencies throughout the company, and it also creates a negative environment and unhappy employees. If certain employees fail to accept the new changes, difficult decisions may need to be made about their suitability for the company. Employees also need to be given the correct training and time to get used to significant business changes. 

Communication issues

One critical element of implementing successful change in a business environment is communication. The entire business needs to be aware of the changes happening and how they will impact their job role and the business as a whole. A lack of communication will lead to confusion and rumours, which could encourage employees to leave the business and seek opportunities elsewhere. Change can also be very disruptive, negatively affecting the productivity of employees. Proper communication from the right sources will prevent mistrust and allow employees to focus on their job roles.

Lack of leadership 

Change requires a leader with strong leadership skills; employees need to feel that the leader has things under control and that a proper plan is in place to ensure the change is successful. When employees don’t trust the business leaders, they’re more likely to question the decision to change and feel uncertain about the future of the business. Trusted leaders should be placed in charge of managing the change and be available to answer any employee's questions about the change. If the company lacks trusted leaders, they can send employees on leadership coaching courses to give them the skills needed to successfully implement business change. 

Failing to get employee input 

Many leaders see potential opportunities to change and improve the business from their perspective; what they fail to do is speak to employees to get their perspectives on the ideas. Employees that do the job daily will have a different view than a manager looking after several teams of people. If employees aren’t asked for their input as part of the change process, they may be more reluctant to accept the new way of doing things. In addition, it may encourage employees to leave the business and look for opportunities in other companies where their concerns will be heard. Getting employee input can also help the change process, as it may highlight potential problems that managers may not have considered in their planning. 

Resourcing issues

One thing that’s often overlooked when implementing change is the extra resource needed to ensure the business continues to succeed during the shift. Change is likely to slow down productivity in the short term before the changes are implemented. This could leave businesses expecting employees to work overtime to complete their tasks. In addition, some leaders may be faced with more work as they’ll need to manage the change and continue to do their day job. Businesses may hire temporary staff to handle excess workload when resources are scarce. Alternatively, companies may choose a quiet time of the year to implement change; this will ensure that employees are not overworked. 

These are just a few of the challenges that come with implementing major changes in any organisation. The key to successful change is a comprehensive vision and plan that’s flexible if issues arise, combined with good leadership and clear communication with employees. Getting employee input can also facilitate change and help employees feel part of the process. Despite all of this advice, with any large business change, you may find some employees choose to find opportunities elsewhere if they don’t agree with the new ways of working.