Change can be challenging for any organization, especially when that change involves a new structure, process, culture, technology or location. These changes can alter or disrupt workflows and impact how employees feel about their day-to-day responsibilities – leaving some anxious, burnt out or motivated to explore other opportunities.
Employee burnout is on the rise in many industries across Canada. Human resources consulting firm Robert Half reported that more than 42 percent of Canadian professionals are feeling burnt out. This trend is especially true in the healthcare sector, where research shows a burnout rate of 78.7 percent. Burnout is directly related to high turnover rates, decreases in productivity and poor service experiences – making it a primary concern for many organizations.
Our operational readiness and change management advisors work with companies across Canada to help them navigate change and prioritize operational continuity during workplace moves and other strategic transitions. With the right guidance, any organization can manage change in a way that reduces burnout and improves the employee experience. Drawing on lessons learned in acute care, long-term care, public transit and office fit-up projects, here are the top four strategies that can help you navigate change while reducing employee burnout.
- Audit your workflows
Before introducing any type of change, consider auditing your current workflows. Audits are a great way to find unnecessary or tedious processes to eliminate or delegate so your employees can make the most of each workday. Eliminating or delegating specific tasks can also help ease feelings of burnout or anxiety from overwork.
In a healthcare environment, for example, a workflow audit would examine whether responsibilities currently handled by nurses – such as wiping down medical equipment or inputting medical requisitions into an electronic records system – could be delegated to other staff. If so, your nursing team may be able to dedicate more time to providing high quality patient care. By reassigning duties based on highest and best use, and by training for and trialing those shifts, you can ease staff into a new technology, protocol, or staffing change and give them time to adjust gradually.
In the corporate sector, workflow audits can provide valuable information into the use of workspaces to better meet employees’ needs. In Vancouver, our Colliers colleagues recently moved into two new offices. These new spaces required fit-ups, and by engaging staff and auditing workflows, we were able to design two different employee environments – one optimized for hybrid work and another for teams that needed a dedicated space to meet with clients. Even some of the smallest workflow changes can make a big difference in increasing employee engagement, while also reducing burnout and stress.
- Implement new workflows gradually
Most people prefer slow, gradual changes rather than abrupt ones. When navigating change, implement workflows in phases rather than all at once. Easing employees into new workflows before fully transitioning can eliminate stress, increase confidence and enable employees to embrace the benefits of more streamlined processes and procedures.
Think back to the healthcare example: the most important aspect of a transition is ensuring that you can continue to deliver uninterrupted, quality patient care. By introducing workflow changes gradually, nurses can continue to provide high quality care while they adjust to the slow introduction of new staff, technology or processes. The same approach can be applied to bigger changes, like moving into a new space. By gradually transitioning and implementing specific workflows to the new location, you’re allowing staff to adjust to specific tasks before ramping up full care operations. This approach also enables you to identify and address any issues that may arise during the transition at a comfortable pace.
- Approach training strategically
Training is an essential part of operational readiness. It allows organizations to upskill staff, improve performance, productivity and customer service. It can also increase job satisfaction, encourage a positive company culture and improve communication among teams. Effective training should prioritize the “why” behind new or improved processes. Employees should understand how the training applies to facilitate tasks and why it’s applicable to their roles.
A well-designed training matrix can guide this process by providing a clear structure that identifies and prioritizes specific training modules for employees, ensuring they can effectively adapt to new processes or systems. Your training matrix should also reinforce existing processes while introducing new ones. For example, when introducing a new social media platform to members of a corporate office, you’ll want to reinforce your company’s social media policy, explain why the new platform is relevant, how it can be used to promote the company’s product, service or people, and how using the platform can facilitate networking, lead generation and more. The training matrix may lead you to identify business development leads, sales managers and other team leads as high priority candidates for training on the new social media platform. Introducing new technology in digestible steps can also encourage employees to adopt new processes. Breaking information into modules, enables staff to retain, test, apply and work through the training program at their own pace.
Customized training plans can also prevent employees from reverting back to old or outdated processes. With the right approach to training, you can encourage your staff to feel more empowered and confident in their performance.
- Reward your change leaders
Generally speaking, people react to change in one of two ways – with excitement or apprehensiveness. Those who embrace change typically adapt to new technologies, processes or strategies quickly and can become leaders who can help others navigate change successfully.
One of the most underutilized and effective operational readiness strategies is recognizing and promoting your change leaders. Anywhere there are people managers, there is an opportunity to reward top performers who exude company culture.
In sectors with fewer people managers, opportunities for professional training and certification can also be excellent rewards. For example, a transit operator who exemplifies their new role as a “change maker” is recognized as a valued employee and may receive professional development to advance their career. Both strategies incentivize employees to embrace change, while also investing in the strength of your corporation, and their personal and professional growth.
The benefit of a dedicated project advisor
To navigate organizational change smoothly, consider leveraging the support, capacity and guidance of a dedicated change management and operational readiness advisor. By working with a change management and operational readiness expert, your decision makers can benefit from a broad range of proven skills and project delivery resources.
I like to think of an advisor as a football coach. They communicate with the quarterback (senior leadership) to assess the team’s strategy, capacity and goals, and develop plays based on the team’s unique capabilities. Whether you’re restructuring your organization, moving to a new location or introducing a new technology, service or process, a dedicated advisor can support you every step of the way.
By creating a change management and operational readiness plan that is gradual, employee-focused and industry-informed, you can successfully navigate change, mitigate burnout and enhance operations for staff and clients alike. Interested in learning more? Email info@colliersprojectleaders.com to connect with a member of our operational readiness and move management team.
