Advances in technology, shifts in economic, legal, and social trends, and personnel changes have an impact on every business. Some changes are within our control, whereas others are not; some changes are positive, whereas others are negative.

Whatever its source or nature, change is hard.  Even a positive change, like merging with another agency or installing a new automation system, requires a lot of effort. Not only do we have to stop doing what we’ve always done, but also we have to learn an entirely way of doing things.

Change is inevitable, and being able to manage it effectively is essential to the success of an agency. So how do you manage change in a way that will reduce the stress on your employees and make them want to change?

Communicate. If you don’t communicate with the people in your office about a planned change, they will discuss it without you and come to their own conclusions. Tell your employees about the change and, equally important, explain why the change is being made. If people know why something is happening, it is easier to accept. Seeing the bigger picture—including how they may benefit from the change—may help employees support the idea. In some situations disclosure may be an issue. Tell employees as much as you can and be sure to use terms that are understandable.

Don’t forget to include your clients as well. Tell them well in advance about an upcoming change in agency practices, a planned period of downtime, or any other change. They will appreciate being informed, and they’ll be more likely to understand why you may not be able to fulfill their requests during a period of planned transition.

Leadership. If agency principals or managers support the change and, more important, use or abide by the change, employees will also support and use it. Too often, principals and managers mandate a change but neither use it nor even know what it entails. Get involved: use the proposed change and test it before you announce it to your employees. This will prevent problems and add credibility to your idea. As an agency leader, your support for the change will give your employees the confidence that it’s good for the agency overall and for them individually.

Plan and prepare. The more prepared you are for a change, the easier and less stressful it will be for the entire office. It’s always best to make most of the work happen before the change when everyone is still operating in the normal environment. Also, if your employees believe that you have the change under control, they will be more confident and willing to participate in carrying out your decisions.  When this change goes smoothly, their trust will carry forward to future projects. Change will progressively become easier, and your employees will become more adaptable. In essence, change will become the norm.

Make the project a team effort. The more people who are involved in a project, the greater the chances they will accept and support it. Encouraging each member of the team to contribute will help them take ownership of the change and strive to make it successful. Simply asking an employee’s opinion or requesting input can promote a sense of ownership and commitment. 

Prevent burnout. Keep in mind that too much added work can backfire. When planning a major change, make sure that you provide adequate time so work can be done without interrupting daily operations or adding too much to employee workloads.

Enforce the change. If an employee chooses not to make the change, there must be consequences. In the business world, stories abound of a single employee sabotaging a change and holding the principals hostage because they believe the employee is irreplaceable. No employee is irreplaceable and no employee should be permitted to ignore or amend the change. If this happens, it’s time to find a new employee. Not only will the uncooperative employee derail your planned change, but he or she will undermine your authority in the eyes of the other employees.

Whether we like it or not, change is happening all around us every day. Our industry is constantly evolving, whether it’s in technology, markets, or human resources. Without the proper foundation, many employees will reject change no matter what it is or how much better off they will be when the change is implemented. Being able to manage that change effectively and use it to everyone’s advantage is what makes for a successful agency.

The author

Rhonda Smith is a CSR and systems administrator for North Wyoming Insurance, Inc., in Buffalo, Wyoming, and won the Wyoming CSR of the Year award from the National Alliance in both 2003 and 2010. She is currently serving as vice president of the Mountain-Plains ASCnet group, a local users group for Applied Systems that she helped found over five years ago. She has also served as a CISR program instructor. For more information on the CISR program, go to: www.TheNationalAlliance.com.