Change is a process that many people resist. As business owners, we are generally more adept at dealing with change in order to run a successful business. However, managing an effective change process with your staff is another thing entirely. And a big part of a successful change process is creating a workplace that fosters a positive culture of change.

What does this mean? It means that communication between you and your staff should be open – staff should feel they can approach you about concerns and feel that their opinions are heard. This is not to say you must take into account all staff concerns and opinions when making decisions. But the opportunity to be “heard’ is powerful.

A golden rule of managing a change process is to make sure that rumours and half truths about impending changes do not circulate. Staff become nervous about what this means for them, morale decreases and productivity suffers.

Resistance to change comes from a fear of the unknown so it is important to:

• Define clearly what the change will be
• Help your staff understand why the change is necessary (highlighting the benefits for the company as a whole, and the positives for staff) - Give updates as the process develops
• Be clear with staff about what will happen
• Ask staff for their suggestions - Be prepared to understand reasons for resistance and reluctance Above all, be supportive of your staff and lead by example. Being positive about changes, along with a realistic attitude to what those changes mean for individuals, will allow th change process to be much smoother.

In the words of Nido Qubein: “Change brings opportunity”

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender