How to handle change

When small changes happen in large organizations, a lot of people don't even recognize them and things just happen according to plan. With a small business, a small change can cause big problems for management and it can be difficult to help your employees stay focused on the goals of the business. Here are some simple steps you can take to help your employees handle change:

Step # 1 - Communication
The biggest breakdown in practically every company starts with lack of communication. Some people are wonderful at communicating with their co-workers but not everyone knows how to communicate effectively. Good communication starts with listening and with proper explanation of projects and other things to your employees. You will always have that one person that just likes to assume things and they don't follow through with instructions or they don't give clear instructions to begin with. As a small business owner, you will be responsible for not only giving clear instructions to your employees, but you must also make sure they are giving clear instructions to one another. Teach your employees how to talk to one another and make sure they are using proper tones with one another and that their non-verbal communication is good. Quite often people look disinterested when someone is talking to them and they do things like play with their cell phone, check their email, or roll their eyes. In a work environment these non-verbal messages can be toxic and they will easily be misinterpreted by the other person. Since you are dealing with change, the last thing you need is someone misinterpreting things and feeling confused about the new changes to the company.

Step # 2 - Hold a meeting
As you introduce change to your employees, you must hold a meeting where you can introduce the changes to your employees. Hold a formal meeting with all of your employees and encourage them to ask all of their questions so you only have to answer the same question once instead of 20 different times. Holding a meeting is a great way to make sure everyone is on the same page before you dismiss everyone back to their jobs.

Even if you hold a large meeting with your entire staff, you must also watch your employees to see how they are handling the new changes. Sometimes employees don't express their concerns in front of their colleagues so the only way to know if they are struggling is to talk to them. After the big meeting, watch the employees that you are worried about and call them into your office where you can discuss the changes and look for solutions to a few of their concerns. Nothing beats face to face communication with your employees and they will admire and respect you for addressing their concerns.

Step # 3 - Trust
A big part of dealing with change is working on building trust with your employees. Some people have a difficult time trusting management after layoffs and big changes occur. Your biggest challenge will be working with your employees and convincing them that they can still trust in you. When you give orders and new initiatives, make sure you follow through with them. This will help you establish trust with your employees as they see that you are committed. You can also work on trust issues with your employees by opening up to them more. Let your staff know that your door is always open and they can come to you with practically every concern or problem they may be dealing with. Simply honoring your job duties will show a lot of people that you are committed to your job and you are moving forward with the company and with them.