As we pass in 2025, there are changes far away. The business landscape is Always changingbut it is even more dynamic with the return of a pro-business administration. I noticed, as I am sure you did, that customers were receiving an approach to the election and at the end of 2024.

My business did not see the usual rush to spend money and start new efforts, but that changed quickly. Now, I see a willingness for businesses to settle for a strong first quarter. For some, this means looking to make major organizational changes, start new products, execute capital investments, act on it or implement the latest technologiesOr just change things.

Say the word change and people go running to cover. Over the years, it has been a lot written about how difficult it is to manage the change in the workplace. In 2025 it is likely to be even more challenging. This is not surprising as many jobs have never been recovered by the Pandemia.

Yeardo year, Gallup measures the main experiences of employees such as employee engagement and well -being. Is historically low. An item over Challenges in the workplace for 2025 States, “Employers who want to implement changes will find it difficult to do so if their people are cut off from their organization.”

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3 reasons why people hate the difference

Have you ever avoided buying a new phone or device because you hate to learn how to operate it? I accept it. I've done it. So just imagine the anxiety some have over learning a new software system or a new process. Work for a new boss. In any way. With all the pressure to succeed, people don't want to try anything new for fear of failure.

It is a good feeling when you know your work and what to expect. We are all happy with our daily routines. When the changes are introduced, it exists Fear of unknown. The technical term is xenophobia. Today, people associate it with a fear of strangers, but the original meaning was the fear of anything or anyone unknown. This is generally due to lack of knowledge or information.

Finally, whenever there are changes, there is a possibility that you lose a job control or your environment. Businessmen like to be under control. We want to run the job and contribute. Fear of loss of control can paralyze, irritate and even lead to physical symptoms such as panic attacks in some individuals.

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Signs of resistance to change

There are several ways to see resistance to change. The first is easy: look for the workplace “buzzing”. It is easier to see in the physical workplace: calm conversations in the “water coolant”, nerve images and a tense tone of sound.

This is more difficult to see if the workers are virtual, but it can be done. You have to look for “micro-expression”. These are significantly short, sometimes less than half a second, facial expressions that signal to how someone feels. A fast raised forehead or a falling lip fall tells you that someone is not happy.

Look for bad behavior – people reacting or excessive in seemingly innocent situations. Years ago, I had an employee to have a difficulty to move to a new office. It was a great new building with all the new ergonomic furniture in a suitable place. She hated the difference, and that was so worrying that it was the beginning of the end of her employment with the company. This may seem extreme, but just try moving the workspace of an employee, and you can experience something similar.

Finally, look for people who are being cheated or simply not doing the job. They may be taking a waiting attitude and watching to determine if the changes will stick, or they may try to make the six efforts deeply.

As a communicator, you could expect that I would ask how critical communication is during times of change. You are right, but this is because I have seen in the forefront how soon the workplace imposes when there is uncertainty about change and little or no constructive communication. Here are three things to help communicate change.

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Get before the change. Communicate early

The biggest mistake is to wait too long to present the changes. People You need time to get comfortable. I like to have a certain amount of information before I announce a change, but I have learned that I do not need to know everything.

Start by planting seeds. For example, if I am making a difference in a process, I am doing a new way to do things. I update staff for progress and possible options. Starting early, there are no surprises when changes occur.

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Concentration of communication in “why”

Often, people resist change because they don't Understand his purpose. Build a case of why it is necessary and how it can positively affect employees, customers and company. Sometimes, change is needed to avoid a negative situation. That building I talked about before became inappropriate as our business changed. Maintenance and services costs also climbed and became more expensive.

I decided to sell it and transfer to a smaller, less costly space. It would mean switching to an open environment and giving up some devices. I did a lot of work to explain why the measure was needed. and included employees in search of a new office. They visited several sites and helped design the new place. This was a successful change because everyone was involved in the discussion.

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Accept the pain – and celebrate the effort

The power of saying, “I know that change is difficult”, should not be underestimated. I routinely ask employees how they feel for a change and if I can help in any way. When we created a new software system, I sat down during training. It was painful for them and me, but eventually it was worth it. You also want to celebrate the good things that come from the change. Do a great job about efficiency or improved results.

The change is complicated, but the way you communicate makes all the changes.