Leadership & Management

Managing Organizational Change

Any organizational change may have an unsettling impact on employees with mental health issues, whether it involves them directly or indirectly. It's important that managers do what they can to help the employee feel more comfortable with his or her place and modified responsibilities in the new workplace situation. It is also important to consider the amount of change being asked of employees, as some research indicates that the continued need for change may contribute to poorer mental health. While this may take some extra time, the investment may pay off in terms of performance, loyalty and support for the change. The tips and strategies that follow are positive approaches for change with any employee, but for those with mental health issues, they may mean the difference between an extremely difficult transition and one that involves a manageable level of adjustment.

Some strategies for effectively managing organizational change are:

• Celebrate or recognize the valuable work that has been done to date.
• Be transparent about the expected length of the change process.
• Clarify the specific changes that are going to occur.
• Explain the impact of the change on the employee's current role and what their contribution to the team will be.
• Explain how the change is going to contribute to larger organizational objectives.
• Share how you are going to manage the pace and amount of change for your employees.

The Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace provides information and strategies identified by the experts that can be useful to addressing employment insecurity among employees with and without mental health issues:

Employment insecurity, economic insecurity, layoffs and mental health in the workplace [PDF]
See the article below called Labour market changes and job insecurity: a challenge for social welfare and health promotion for more information.

Action Plan

Helping an Employee with a Mental Health Issue Manage Change

• Be open, honest, positive, clear and accessible both in communicating the change(s) and after the changes have been made.
   
• Celebrate or recognize the good work that was done under the old system. This is an often missed step in change management. In an effort to "sell" the change, employers will sometimes dismiss or minimize any successes of the past. This may leave long standing employees feeling unappreciated. Recognizing how they were able to accomplish so much under the previous system is more likely to leave them open to engaging in change.
   
• Explain clearly why the change is being made and how work will be organized under the new structure. State how the change(s) are in line with the competitive environment and how they will enhance the organization's ability to compete.
   
• Explain clearly what the employee's new or modified responsibilities will be.
   
• Discuss openly the challenges and concerns that employees may experience as a result of the change and jointly look for solutions to address them. Do not pretend they do not exist or try to minimize them. By stating the challenges and concerns before the employees do, you are helping to show you understand their reality and are working to make it as positive as possible.
   
• Listen carefully to the employee's concerns about the change. Provide detailed responses to reassure the employee that you have heard their concerns.
   
• Ask the employee with mental health issues what you/the organization can do to help him or her make the change process easier for them. For example, will skills training help or will changes in the employee's accommodation plan need to be modified? See Accommodations That Work for more information.
   
• Focus on helping the employee understand the change and work with them to overcome any obstacles. Understand that some people do not like change, especially when it is not of their choosing. For people who may be experiencing a mental health issue this can include severe anxiety or fear about their future. It's important that you consider these fears and reassure the employee as much as possible as well as consider ways to make the change easier for him or her. If possible, this could include such things as a reduction in output expectations, and other assistance while the changes are occurring.
   
• Reinforce what the employee does well and has done well in the job as he or she knew it. Emphasize how these strengths will help him or her adjust to the new responsibilities. Let the employee know that the organization values him or her.
  
  
• Once you've addressed the employee's concerns, adjust or set new performance goals. Ask the employee how he/she feels they can help meet the goals of the new organizational structure. This involvement can help employees feel that they are, to a certain extent, controlling the change and their future.

Create your own action plan

Managing Organizational Change [PDF]

Resources

The following are links to resources that may be of interest to you. If you click on a link you may be entering a third party website not maintained or controlled by Great-West Life.