How do you tell your staff about key changes in your business?

Business Doctor Peter Fleming's day job is growing Cumbrian businesses and helping them thrive. Change is important in keeping your business competitive. We asked him to share his top tips that will help businesses communicate change in their organisation.

There are 5 key phases in the modern business lifecycle: Birth | Growth | Maturity | Decline | Revival

In 2013 the average life of a business was 18 years and this continues to fall, therefore dealing with and communicating change is key to survival if you want to stay in business longer than the national average.

1. Ensure you the business owner or main business unit director are the one communicating the change. Always be in control of communications throughout the process and don’t delegate the communication of any major structural or role changes to other managers or staff representative groups to present – staff want to hear good and bad news from the top!

2. Employee’s first questions are likely to be “Why is this happening?” therefore always focus and communicate on the reasons WHY? I.e. to survive, realign the business to beat off the competition, improve customer relationships and service levels. Have examples of challenges to hand, recent lost customers, evidence of reduced service levels, names of competitors or new entrants moving into the marketplace. Introduction organisational change will also improve internal communication, productivity, efficiency, creating a better place for all employee to work and securing customers continued business. These points will help answer maybe your own question “What’s the risk of not changing?”

3. Understand the process from the employee’s perspective , they will be thinking “What’s in it for me?” Therefore use positive words which will resonate with them. Speak about and offer a compelling communication about how they will benefit through accepting change i.e. say; you will have, less hassle, less stress in the workplace and more relaxed working environment. Reduced workload, better planning, less duplication maybe even less responsibility along with investing in their personal development. Creation of new opportunities and them being a key part of the future growth of the business and that they are integral to the business survival and your future aspirations will also help get the message over.

4. Always carry out all communication face to face whether to group, teams or on a 1-2-1 basis, ensuring you plan space in your diary to travel between sites and locations.

5. Repeat keys messages 5, 6, or even 7 times to ensure you get clearly across to employees the rationale for proposing or implementation change. Employees will only hear first and foremost how the changes will affect them and are not likely to pick up the reasons WHY? Check by asking “do you understand why we are proposing these changes?”

6. Ensure all communication is always two ways ; give employees time to ask questions and again ensure they fully understand the reasons “WHY?”. Utilise Staff Representation Groups (SRG) to help represent, support and engage all employees during the change process and they will also help and become your allies.

7. Ensure all communication is consistent and be genuine , don’t sugar coat the truth, whether to employee groups, teams or in one to ones. Don’t get drawn into emotional bargaining and giving specific personal views or comments to some employees no matter how close you are to them. Making sure communication is aligned to the future business objectives, mission statement and linked to the businesses core values will support you in this process. And don’t get drawn into canteen, coffee machine or water cooler chats.

8. Create a Q&A communication document to ensure everyone at risk or involved gets the same opportunity and there is consistency with any updates of information to any questions or queries.

9. Going forward, establish ways in which you can measure the effectiveness of the communication process, qualitative and quantitative. This may be listening to vocabulary used, “understand, accept, and agree” and look out for body language such as nodding, shaking of the head. Also be fully aware and understand the impact and reactions causing negative or positive effects on productivity, sales and customer service levels – you need to continue doing business and needs to continue serving customers needs during this period.

10. Stay positive throughout , follow the due process and stick to the timetable agreed.

11. Ensure you have a strong capable HR professional to advise and support you. They will keep you on track and in check throughout the communication and organisational change process plus they will ensure you have all relevant and legal paperwork to hand.

12. Finally ensure you take breaks, rest well, eat well and take exercise for your own personal benefit, getting some fresh air, or thinking space as you’ll need it.

The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence itself, it is to act with yesterday’s logic – Peter Drucker

If you are looking to grow your business, Business Doctors Cumbria offer a free business health check where we can help you to set a clear vision to understand the steps you need to take to fulfil your aspirations. Contact Peter Fleming 07966 686112 email peterfleming@businessdoctors.co.uk

Web link http://www.businessdoctors.co.uk/health-check

Join Peter Fleming from Business Doctors, Stuart Irving from Bendles Solicitors and Darren Moynan from Moynan Smith at a free business growth seminar 12 noon - 2.00pm on Wednesday 16th March , Cumbria Park Hotel, 32 Scotland Road, Carlisle CA3 9DG

Book here: http://www.businessdoctors.co.uk/event/545/breaking-big-seminar