Turbulent Times.

• Author: Price, Linda
• Position: Brief Article

Maintaining Employee Productivity During Change

People of the 21st century live in a world of constant change. Technological advances, globalization, mergers and acquisitions are only a few of the forces driving constant innovation in Utah's corporations. Leaders must determine vision and strategy while bringing executives, opinion leaders, and other key people on board so that their changes are effective. They must also anticipate the responses of their employees.

Change moves people out of their comfort zones. They become concerned about two things: "What is going to happen?" and "How is it going to affect me?" Anxiety goes up and performance goes down.

A manager's actions can increase or decrease this stress. Ignoring signs that people are not on board, deluging them with facts and figures, and demanding change using authority as leverage are hurry-up methods guaranteed to bring progress to a halt. On the other hand, allowing people to ask questions, sharing information in a timely manner, and providing a reasonable time to adjust, creates a climate of commitment and participation.

Paula Farnsworth, vice president of the Consultant Division at Franklin Covey recalls a manager who knew how to decrease the stress of change. "His skill was to support me in every aspect of my job. He held me accountable, but I knew I...