Announcing a change to staff is a key step to getting everyone to start adapting to a new way of working, but announcements often fail to get buy in for two key reasons:

• The message doesn’t make staff feel personally invested in the change
• It isn’t clear how staff will support the change in their day-to-day

You can avoid these two pitfalls and win early support for the change by crafting a few key talking points to address these concerns for your next change announcement. Use this tool to learn five steps to effectively manage change within your team.

Managers should make sure to explain the reasoning behind a change so that staff can better understand the purpose of it and why it is necessary for the organization's success. Providing insight into the change will also prevent rumors from spreading, correct any misunderstandings, and help ease any anxieties.

By proactively sharing the reasons for the change, mangers can build trust, engagement, and understanding. When employees feel their opinions are valued and encouraged to participate in decision-making, they are more likely to accept and embrace change. Additionally, allowing employees to contribute to the change process can create a sense of ownership, which can result in higher levels of commitment to the change.

Before you announce the change to your staff, make sure you fully understand the change yourself. While using this tool, pause if you frequently find yourself unable to answer the prompts. This means you may have to go back to your manager or point person for the change to help with your announcement.

To boost your chances of making the “why” stick with your team, call out a benefit of the change that will resonate with your staff. When staff know what’s in it for them, they’ll be more likely to stay personally motivated to follow the change.

Below is a list some potential benefits to highlight, along with an example phrase for each. Note one or two of the benefits and think how you’ll say it.

Consider bringing additional testimonies or data to back up your benefit, if possible. Examples include data from your department or the organization, or anecdotes from past changes.

Knowing how the change specifically impacts your team will make it feel less abstract and more grounded in their day-to-day. Explain what the change will look and feel like for your team by clarifying any work they’ll need to start, stop, and continue doing. Review the table below and fill in according to your organization’s change.

Even after articulating the “why” and “how” behind the change, staff may still have lingering questions or concerns that come up as they take everything in. Preparing for their top anticipated questions ahead of time allows you to more deeply engage with your team and get ahead of any potential rumors.

Potential questions to consider

• What is the timeline for the change?
• When can staff expect more information?
• How will the change affect existing workloads?
• What kinds of training or knowledge will staff receive?
• Who should staff turn to if they need help?
• How can staff provide input or feedback on the change?
• How will adoption of the change be tracked?

1. If possible, source questions directly from key members of your team as you’re planning your announcement.
2. If you get a question you don’t know the answer to, be honest and let them know. It’s better to say you’ll follow up than try to answer the question without absolute certainty.
3. If you’re delivering your announcement virtually, using the chat function can help encourage quieter members of your team to participate. You can also save the chat to reference questions that don’t get answered during the announcement.

Even with a strong change announcement, it’s crucial to keep the change top of mind for staff in the following days and weeks. To help reinforce or clarify any information from your announcement, follow up with written resources and set ongoing communication channels for staff to discuss the change.