With organizational changes happening constantly in today’s workplace, it is important for employees to be able to roll with the punches. Whether it be changes in personnel, remedial changes, structural changes, or going remote- big changes are happening daily in the corporate world.
When your workforce tries to juggle new changes, it can lead to decreased productivity in the company and increased stress for the employees. Luckily, employers and HR managers have the opportunity to encourage employee adaptability to prevent employees from losing their footing when big changes happen.
Adaptability involves employees being able to adjust to changes in the workplace with little to no disruption in their work. Here are 4 tips for encouraging adaptability in your workplace.
Encourage Questions
Don’t keep your employees in the dark about company changes. Always encourage employees to ask questions about changes happening and how the changes will affect them. Keeping employees “in the know” about situations in the workplace will keep their stress levels down. Consider holding a weekly meeting with a section devoted to questions from employees about changes happening around the workplace.
Encourage Communication
Communication is key to keeping employees happy and healthy, which is why employers should encourage communication between co-workers. This will build relationships around the office, increasing productivity and giving employees a companion in the change. Teamwork really does make the dream work.
Communication between employees can be encouraged through work parties, weekend coffee meetups, and employee group chats.
Encourage Mindfulness
Mindfulness around the workplace will create a stress-free environment. Encouraging employees to practice mindfulness will lower their stress levels during big changes in the workplace, as well as provide them with coping mechanisms for any stressful event. Consider providing free therapy to employees, giving more PTO days for mental health, and hosting mindfulness workshops in order to encourage mindfulness in the office.
Encourage Positivity
Positivity is contagious. Instead of focusing on the negatives of a big company change, focus on the positives. Change brings new opportunities along with the scariness. Consider sending emails to employees to speak on the positives of change in the workplace or host a meeting to speak on the happy upsides to the change happening. This will encourage employees to see the bright side of changes.
The above tips will help you develop a workplace with higher productivity rates, as well as better mental well-being, even during huge changes.
