Change Focused

In every aspect of life, the six-letter word ‘change’ scares everybody. In business, this word is even scarier. The phrase, ‘If it’s not broke don’t fix it’ is always echoed around board rooms but can often lead to being a company’s biggest downfall.

In the year that has been 2020, nobody could have forecast the change that was to come, but as we reach the end of the year, one can confirm that it has been a drastic year for change and businesses across the globe have evolved in ways that they could never have imagined.

Industries like the airline industry have been decimated and small business owners have finally taken the leap to embracing twenty-first-century thinking. Without focusing on the year that has been too much, we now realise the importance of change and how it can either make or break an organisation. Often change is out of our hands, but what we can control is how flexible we are to change and how your organisation adapts to it.

Having a workforce that is open to change will make adapting to the market and reaching any goal very achievable. Management should consider the value of training their staff and their leaders to be innovative and creative while attempting to alter their perspective on opportunities.

Rather than a focus on the workload that needs to be done to achieve or meet objectives, a workforce that focuses on ways to improve the journey to reach the end goal with an ‘out of the box’ mindset will be able to weather any storm.

An organisation that aims to be more change-focused and flexible needs to remember a few points. Firstly, not everyone in the organisation will react to change in the same way. Change can prompt uncertainty and a sense of micromanagement. As leaders and line managers take a look at the workflow and everyday tasks some employees may feel uneasy.

Establishing a training programme where staff learn new skills and are aware of why change needs to happen is a great way to encourage staff to be more flexible. Training will spark conversation and allow the workforce to transition seamlessly. This will also create a sense of accomplishment and offer confidence for staff who will be better prepared and better equipped for future change.

An important skill that is often overlooked is communication. The importance of a weekly meeting with a team to discuss issues and better work processes is huge. Establishing a training programme where staff learn new skills and develop better ways to communicate will allow for a workforce to be more open and to share ideas freely.

Training and development in any area will always encourage a more flexible approach for the workforce as they are focused on improving and finding the best way to reach goals efficiently.