How to Lead Change without Losing your People

The world of work is changing fast and, for many people, the constant churn is starting to take its toll. In ADP’s 2024 People at Work report, 71% of employees said they feel overwhelmed by the pace of change, rising to 86% for Gen Z. 

With so much shifting all the time, from technology and processes to team structures and priorities,  it’s no wonder many people feel unsettled, uncertain, or even resistant when something new comes along.

So, how do you keep people engaged when everything’s moving, reducing the pain of change and increasing the chance of successful outcomes?

Share early — even if the plan’s not final

When leaders only share fully-formed plans, people can feel left out. Worse, they may feel like change is being done to them, not with them.

Bringing people in early helps build ownership. It also gives you a chance to spot issues you might not have thought of – the kind of everyday realities that only surface when you talk to the people doing the work.

That could mean:

• Running listening sessions before key decisions are made
• Sharing rough drafts and asking for honest feedback
• Being open about your thinking, even if it’s still evolving
  Explaining the reasons behind your choices, not just the end result

This really matters. Research from Gartner shows that employee willingness to support change has dropped from 74% in 2016 to just 38% in 2022. That’s a big fall, and a clear sign that people are growing tired of change that feels top-down or imposed. If you want buy-in, you need to bring people into the conversation early.

Be clear on why, what, and when

Change feels harder when people are left guessing. They want to know why it’s happening, what exactly is going to change (and what isn’t), and when it’s going to happen.

So:

• Be clear about the reason behind the change – what’s driving it, and why it matters. Link it to something real, like a shift in customer needs, a new opportunity, or a challenge the business is facing.
  
• Spell out what’s changing and what’s staying the same. People need a bit of certainty to hold onto.
  
• Give people a sense of the timeline. Even if you don’t have all the answers, share what you know, and keep everyone updated as things evolve.

And, if your managers are the ones sharing this message, make it easy for them to do it well. A simple one-pager with key points can go a long way.

Think about what people need to know, feel and do

A really helpful way to plan your change communications is to use the Know/Feel/Do model. Start by asking: What do people know, feel and do right now? Then ask: What do we want them to know, feel and do as a result of this change? 

Crucially, don’t guess the answers to the first set of questions – go and ask. Talk to people, run a quick pulse survey, or have informal check-ins to understand what’s really going on. You might uncover gaps, worries or misunderstandings that wouldn’t have been obvious from the top. 

This approach helps you understand the true impact of the change,  not just in terms of tasks or timelines, but how it lands emotionally and practically for your people. It’s a simple but powerful way to shape communication that actually supports people through the shift.

Bottom Line

It’s not always the change itself that unsettles people,  it’s feeling left out, confused, or surprised.

If you can bring people in early, explain things clearly, and communicate with empathy, you’ll give your team a better chance of understanding the journey and playing an active part in it.

Because when people feel like they’re part of the process, they’re far more likely to get behind it.

Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash