Keeping Well During Change
Strategies to maintain health and well-being during periods of work-related change
Like the proverbial death and taxes, change is an inevitable part of everyone’s work. Recent years have seen the introduction of many changes to our work, occurring at an almost exponential rate. These changes have the potential to have a significant effect on our health, safety, and well-being. But, there are several steps workplaces can take to keep well during times of change at work.
Contents
Introduction
Change. It’s a prospect that fills some of us with dread while others shrug their shoulders with a ‘meh’ response. ‘Been there, seen that’ is the feeling many have when they hear phrases like ‘seeking efficiencies’, ‘cutting out waste’, ‘resetting’, ‘pivoting’, or ‘review and restructure’.
But, with COVID lockdowns in our collective recent memory, an on-going cost of living crisis, and a change of Government, change at work appears to be barrelling on at a rate of knots.
Every change of government sees a policy turnaround in New Zealand's workplace relations. This see-saw pattern looks set to continue with the election of a National-led coalition in 2023. Commentators are already speculating about the axing of fair pay agreements and the return of 90-day trials. Lawyers, businesses and unions will soon be offering law-change updates. Workers and employers will begin amending their day-to-day processes.1
The all-too common phrases I’ve listed above are being shouted from the rooftops across the public and private sectors at the moment. Just one example is the recently announced cancellation of this year’s fashion week as a result of “consumer confidence [being] at an all time low”, while cuts across the public sector now total - at the time of writing - nearly 4,000.23
Businesses have several reasons for introducing changes at work, including seeking to improve the efficiency at individual, team, and organisational levels, improving the financial viability of its operations, or in response to a changing environment.
However, the effects of these changes on the health, safety, and well-being of workers are often wide-ranging and unforeseen.
Effects of Change
Any change introduced by an organisation has the potential to have a wide-ranging effect on individuals, teams, and/or the organisation, with some commentators identifying it as the main source of stress for workers. Change can be a more significant hazard when it’s poorly managed, when it happens over a long time, and/or when there is frequent change.
Importantly, how we perceive the change can influence our perception of the stress associated with the change(s).
Organisational effects
Organisational change can sometimes result have an affect on the overall safety performance of an organisation. Particularly when change is not appropriately planned, organisational change "may result in inadverdent [sic] reduction of emphasis on safety and health, loss of established formal and information safety processes, loss of critical knowledge and expertise or lack of sufficient personnel to safely operate and maintain a process [sic]"4
Team effects
When an organisation introduces one or more changes, we can feel them across an entire team. Often, even if we are not directly affected by a change but we witness colleagues going through a change process, our health and/or well-being can be compromised.
Team-level effects include:
development of a negative working environment
role ambiguity / conflict
loss of productivity
increased tension and conflict
Individual effects
Change at work has been identified as a psychosocial risk for workers. This can present in a number of different ways for staff, including those who may not be directly affected, but might witness the effects of change on their colleagues.
The effect of change on individual employees includes:
increased feelings of insecurity and uncertainty
a reduction in personal resources needed to manage stress and loss of resilience
a decline in trust in leadership and/or the organisational as a whole
increased feelings of anxiety
increased feelings and experience of stress
loss in productivity and high demands
loss of control
reduction in feelings of self-worth and belonging
loss of meaning (associated with work)
It's important to note that many of these effects can have additional down-stream effects (e.g., if we have a lower feeling of self-worth, this can lead to an increased feeling of anxiety and higher stress levels); this reflects the complex interactions associated with psychosocial risks and hazards.
Bullying and Harassment
One key effect often seen with organisational change is an increase in our experience of bullying and harassment. Researchers suggest this happens via several pathways:
Employees can use organisational change as a 'smokescreen' for bullying or harassment behaviours (e.g., using threats of disestablishment when a restructure or realignment is underway; excluding staff whose roles have been disestablished (before the disestablishment has come into effect) or when individuals will be 'moved sideways').
Increased stress, insecurity, and anxiety acts as a trigger for staff 'lashing out' at colleagues. In addition, staff may worry about loss of roles/functions or downsizing; this can result in staff members ‘expressing’ this worry via negative behaviours.
Employees' perceptions of unfair treatment and/or employers' violation of the 'psychological contract' (i.e., the set of beliefs a worker has around employers and employees' reciprocal obligations, such as remuneration) can result in staff members experiencing increased feelings of anger, resentment, or frustration. In response, staff may - as with item 2 above - take these feelings out on colleagues or staff who report to them.
When we experience bullying or harassment behaviours - including 'one-off' instances that might not be given an 'official' bullying/harassment label - we can be exposed to a range of negative effects on our health, safety, and well-being. This can include:
reduced physical health (e.g., neck and back pain, sleep deprivation)
reduced mental/psychological health, including (but not limited to): increased anxiety and/or stress, depression, low self-esteem, and feeling helpless and out of control at work
loss of productivity
increased sick leave, absenteeism, and presenteeism
negative effects on colleagues, team members, and/or witnesses; and
negative effects on the work environment.
It's important to keep in mind that, while the bullying and harassment that occurs as a result of organisational change can be damaging, its effects can be mediated by an effective change management approach.
In other words, if we see a change process as positive, we may feel the effects of any bullying and/or harassment less keenly.
Support During Change
Organisation-level support
Businesses and organisations can use a range of strategies to protect and promote workers' health, safety, and well-being during periods of change.
Typically, this involves a robust, evidence-based approach to change management that emphasises:
Planning and Risk Assessment
Any change process needs to be carefully planned via a thorough, systematic approach that takes account of the realities of the day-to-day mahi of those who may be affected by the change.
Organisational downsizing is not [an opportunity for] a resilience ‘teaching moment’ where EAP and resilience training is going to cut it. This is about creating safe systems of work [my emphasis].5
This approach should include planning for:
a robust approach to communication and engagement
resourcing for leaders/managers
provision of training and supervision resources to support change
support mechanisms staff can access; and
consideration and implementation of any lessons learned from previous change processes.
As part of the planning process, organisations need to spend time investigating and understanding “risks and opportunities resulting from the change…and risks arising from the process of change”6 Risk assessment also involves developing an understanding of the range of ‘psychological reactions’ workers affected by the change may exhibit.
Wherever possible, planning and risk assessment processes should ensure the proposed change(s) will not remove or dilute expertise, skills, and knowledge held by current employees. In doing so, businesses can mitigate the risk of increased incidence of health and/or safety incidents sometimes associated with change initiatives.
According to SafeWork Australia, risk assessment should include:
consulting workers on their views
using surveys and similar tools
undertaking observations of tasks undertaken by workers; and
leveraging information provided via incident reporting mechanisms.
Such processes should consider a ‘matrix’ of risks and hazards, understanding how they interact with each other and considering frequency, duration, and severity of exposure to those same risks and hazards.
An associated component of this risk assessment process is to ensure support services are planned that align with workers' needs and preferences, while remaining culturally appropriate and, when doing so, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach such as simply directing workers to EAP or similar support.
Leadership
During times of change, leadership is key to supporting workers. Some research points to a transformational leadership style - which emphasises loyalty, autonomy, and challenging workers to extend - as more effective for supporting change processes.
With the right approach, leaders can help their staff feel like the changes are more manageable, while also facilitating communication and engagement relating to the change(s).
As well as supporting engagement activities, leaders are important for “creating an environment in which people are supported to ‘pick and choose’ the coping strategies most beneficial for them”.7 To do this, leaders need to understand their staff as people and must be intentional about ensuring all staff - whether they are directly affected or not - feel they are part of the team throughout the change process.
So-called middle managers have been shown to have a role in mediating negative perceptions of senior leaders' messages and actions and, conversely, may also provide further support for their managers, extending this positive influence through different levels of the organisation.
Resourcing for Leaders
For those in leadership roles to be effective in supporting workers through change, they need to have access to appropriate resources.
Leaders not only need to be equipped with information and resources, but they need to feel confident leading through change…[as] how your leadership reacts to change will trickle down [to]…your employees.8
Giving leaders the tools, resources, and knowledge to lead their staff through the change process will help protect and promote workers' health, safety, and well- being. By doing so, businesses can empower leaders at different levels across an organisation to lead by example and role-model positive behaviours.
As a central ‘go to’ point for staff and/or as ‘champions’ for the change(s), leaders may face an increased risk of burnout as they face the push-pull of supporting both their own managers and the staff who report to them. Providing the right resources to its leaders allows organisations to mitigate the risk of burnout and help keep their leaders safe during these processes.
Communication and Engagement
One of the most important factors in the change process is communication and engagement undertaken before, during, and after a change. There are several key components that are needed as part of an effective approach to communication and engagement.
Be clear about the 'why'
Scholars and commentators note that a lack of understanding of the reason for a proposed change or suite of changes is a common reason why change processes fail.
Businesses need to invest time and resources in explaining the change(s) and clearly articulating the ‘why’ behind those changes.
Crucially, to secure support for change and to mitigate the risk of increased stress, those leading the change need to ensure such an explanation includes detail on the benefits for the organisation as a whole and for individual workers (i.e., ‘what’s in it for me?').
Keep workers informed and engaged
It's essential change leaders take every opportunity to keep workers informed about the proposal, design, and/or implementation. Keeping workers in the loop at every step of the change process is a vital element for mitigating the risk of harm associated with the hazards listed above. This requires businesses to:
keep communication and engagement regular (e.g., weekly updates)
leverage the full range of media open to them (i.e., avoid using only one or two communication channels)
understand workers' needs and preferences; employees or specific groups may have particular needs for how messages are delivered (e.g., providing written transcripts with audio-visual presentations and vice-versa); and
adopt a consistent approach that reinforces key messages and links back to the underpinning rationale(s).
Similarly, change managers, people leaders, and other stakeholders with authority need to encourage staff to actively participate in communication opportunities.
Workers must be encouraged to provide feedback, ask questions, and clarify messages they receive. Doing so, however, requires a high level of psychological safety; where this is low/absent, workers may not trust the process, potentially resulting in additional harm to teams and/or workers.
It is worth noting that, as a change process - no matter how big or small - may affect one or more workers' health and/or safety, under the Health and Safety at Work Act (2015), businesses in Aotearoa have a legal obligation to actively engage with workers. Importantly, this includes ensuring relevant workers' Health and Safety Representatives are involved in communication and engagement.
Be clear and transparent
Businesses and organisations need to clearly communicate what they know and to be transparent about the details they do not know. Taking this approach will reduce workers' anxiety and will help build workers' resilience.
It is essential those leading the engagement make - and follow-up on - a commitment to finding out and communicating the answers to those unknowns as soon as possible.
If businesses continue to provide ‘half the story’ in their communiqués, this may increase workers' anxiety and stress counteracting the positive effects of regular communication.
In terms of clarity, it is important to remember that workers' feelings of stress and anxiety can influence their ability to take in and understand the messages being communicated. Staff may focus on negative messages provided in a communiqué and, like most interactions involving communication, will focus on what they read or hear first and last.
Individual support strategies
When we experience change at work, there are several strategies we can leverage to protect our own health and well-being.
Practise Self-care
It may seem trite, but practising self-care is an essential strategy for maintaining your health and well-being during times of change at work (and home). This can be taking larger intentional steps to ensure we are looking after ourselves, making changes to our environment, or tweaking daily routines to incorporate self-care strategies.
Self-care activities we can embark on include:
practising the Mental Health Foundation's Five Ways to Well-being
maintaining connections with others, especially those who are a particular support for us
keeping active
eating well
sleeping well; and
practising mindfulness.
Be Kind to Yourself
During times of high anxiety, stress, and uncertainty, it's important you are kind to yourself, giving yourself permission to accept the situation and acknowledge how you are feeling.
In addition, being kind to yourself will increase serotonin levels, generating a sense of calm, and facilitating the release of oxytocin, encouraging a sense of optimism and increasing physical health.
Similarly, showing kindness to others will boost their self-esteem and improve your relationships; this is important at a time when there may be higher-than-normal levels of tension.
Take advantage of engagement opportunities
A frustrating element of change management can be the feeling of not having had an opportunity to have your say.
Feeling unheard can exacerbate our stress and anxiety about the future and, if this is perceived as being resistant to the change(s), can result in worsening tensions and may damage relationships.
One approach for supporting your well-being during times of change is to engage with consultation and feedback processes. If your employer is following best-practice, they will be using a range of media to consult with you and will be providing different channels for providing feedback; take advantage of these to ensure you have your say.
It's also important you provide feedback to your employer if the communication methods they have selected do not meet your needs and preferences.
To support this approach, take the opportunity to ask questions of those leading the change; understanding the rationale for, and potential effects of, the change(s) will help alleviate feelings of anxiety and stress.
Low psychological safety in your team or organisation may be a barrier to providing honest feedback or asking questions. While leaders have an essential role in strengthening psychological safety, you can contribute to this process by:
modelling the behaviours you want to see demonstrated by others
engaging in active listening
considering how you respond when others speak up (e.g., trying to respond positively to others' feedback and questions); and
work to replace a blame mindset with curiosity.
Put your mental health first
As noted above, whether it's happening to you or you see your colleagues affected by changes at work, change processes can result in a range of negative experiences and emotions.
At the same time, however, there is often an expectation of workers to continue to perform and undertake their mahi at the same level; this can place additional stress on affected workers.
Businesses have an ethical responsibility to be flexible during change processes, as well as a legal requirement to proactively protect their workers' health, safety, and well-being. At the same time, it is important individual workers take steps to protect their own health and well-being; one step is to ensure you are putting your mental health first.
If the change being implemented is affecting your mahi, it is important you:
speak with your manager/leader as early as possible to ensure they can link you with the right supports; and
consider accessing formal supports such as EAP or supervision to help manage your health and well-being.
While taking these steps might not always be as well-received as we deserve, it is essential you do take action, especially during times of upheaval, such as workplace changes.
In addition to accessing ‘traditional’ tertiary-level supports such as EAP, an obvious step is to use your leave. As workers, you are entitled to take leave to support your health and well-being and your employer should not be putting any explicit or implicit pressure on you to come to work even if you are sick. If you are feeling pressured to work when you feel mentally or physically unwell, speak to your local HSR or - if you're a member - union delegate.
If you don't feel you need to take leave, alongside the self-care strategies listed above, consider re-structuring your work-day by:
Take small breaks throughout the day.
Go for one or more short walks; research shows this can boost your energy and resilience, particularly in the afternoon if you're going for a walk in the morning.
Ensure you build in 'buffer time' between meetings.
Look to address the root cause of the drain on your productivity (and, by extension, your energy and mental health).
Further support and resources
Alongside the strategies discussed above, there are many avenues of support you can access to help you navigate the change process.
EAP Services - these are often provided for free by your employer
Lifeline - 0800 543 354 or text 4357
Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
Healthline - 0800 611 116
Need to Talk - (text) 1737
What's up? - 0800 942 8787
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