As we shape the future of work, most companies are grappling with change management, requiring employees to embrace new behaviors.
What do you think companies can do to help people embrace new behaviors required in the future of work?
New behaviors, new skills – Is it a training issue? To start with yes! But for lasting change what do we have to do?
In helping people adopt new behaviors, the environment has to help in a number of ways, particularly in three ways. I call them the Law of Three!
So what exactly are the three components of this ‘trinity’? Any guesses?
I reveal them here:
- Motivation – in its most basic sense is defined as avoidance of pain or pursuit of pleasure. Or inculcate anticipation i.e. if I do this, then I will gain this – like if you want to prevent Corona, wear your masks at all times in public
For new behaviors to embed, what motivation is the environment providing?
- Training – Lot of time we focus on the why of a change. For example, why is change good? Why we should adopt a new tool and so in the hope that employees will see the merit.
But many a times, employees are afraid to adopt a new tool because it’s a skills or knowledge issue
Train them up- if it’s a skill or knowledge issue!
Train on how to use a new tool , how to fill up a new log, and also build step by step guides.
In short, Change efforts here should focus on the how part in case of skills or knowledge gap!
- Scale back expectations – Instead of expecting people to adopt change in a big bang way, set an expectation to make small changes- one step at a time, This is particularly relevant if the skill or motivation is low.
For example, if a person is used to eating junk food for all meals and you tell him to make the change to eat 6 servings of vegetables and fruits, what will happen?
He is most likely to fail, but if you ask him to begin by eating only one serving of fruit and vegetable – he is likely to meet the small goal. And his self worth in his own eyes will go up, making him try harder for the next milestone.
So this is what I call the Law of Three in embedding change!
What in your experience have worked to help people embrace change?
By Jyoti Bansal (A HR Consultant with IndusGuru Network Partners)
#changemanagement #lawofthree #scalebackexpectations #training #motivation