WHY WE NEED TO INVOLVE OUR TEAMS in change

Communication is vital when managing business changes. Kay Pennington shares her tips for leadership and resilience

As a seasoned professional in the beauty, wellness and spa industry, the most valuable thing I have learned in my career so far is mastering the art of adapting to change.

Adapting to change is a life skill and one of the variables of resilience. To grow and reach your goals in life, you must make way for change, prepare for it and make time for challenges that force you to step out of your comfort zone and stretch your tolerances.

If you have a desire for yourself or your business to be a stronger and more successful version of itself with clearer focus or market positioning, then it is important to expect that the road may feel a bit bumpy.

I have experienced this so many times when an organisation wants to make change, develop or grow the business. A new strategy is written, a new vision is born, and many business owners go riding off into the sunset, waving the flag of victory before the words “team welfare plan” have even crossed their mind.

As much as we depend on our staff to support the growth of our businesses, how often are their thoughts and feelings factored into our strategy for business growth? It is the attitudes and behaviors of our people that create the sound and the heartbeat of our business. When at the exciting stage of a brand-new opening or launch of a business, we want our people in the workplace to feel safe, valued and secure within their environment and we tend to provide them with great training, shiny new workstations and uniforms.

But what happens a few years down the line? We must maintain that level of care, continuing to involve them by asking their opinions, finding out how they are feeling, and responding to their feedback. Offering them a voice and opportunity to grow will keep staff tuned into the vision for the business.

Having a process for change management in your workplace is key. The four Cs of change management can help you with team management.

The four Cs of change management

1. Communication Commit to open communication with your team. Have regular face-to-face sessions and activities planned in the working schedule for business updates. Make announcements sharing general news and giving recognition to the team.

2. Structural change Be transparent about opportunity for success, promotion and growth opportunities within your business to encourage your team to strive for success.

3. Cultural change Engage your employees with the purpose, mission and values within the workplace. This can help with measuring change and planning for future initiatives, as decisions and ideas will be rooted in the culture of the business.

4. Technological change Review what opportunity is available through technology to support your team when managing change. Once you’re aware of the technologies available, it can assist in developing strategies to manage the productivity of your business and to support your team.

By managing these changes up front within your organisation, you are powering up your team to be more resilient. You are providing your people with the tools, the vision, the mindset and the skill set. Preparing them with the answers ahead of time can enable your team to process and make room for a little bit of disruption, and maximum growth.

Kay Pennington is a leadership and resilience coach with 25 years of spa industry experience. She is the founder of the Resilience & Power coaching business.