4 Tips to Gain Employee Acceptance to Change
Change is a good thing, right? Maybe not to all, and if you don’t have employee acceptance to change, the change is doomed to fail.
Those who accept the change initially can help you persuade the other employees to acceptance.
Change — also known as continuous improvement — can make or break a business. A business can’t grow without change, but without employee acceptance of the new idea/technology/process, the change can fail. Here are four tips that could help employees go from “That’s never going to work” to “Count me in!”
Explain
You understand why this is a great idea and now you need to explain it to others. This is a sales pitch. You are selling your idea to the employees. The world of answering an employee question with ”Because I’m the boss and I say so” is long gone. (That answer still works for parents, though.) If this initiative is brand new to them, give them the broad strokes. If they have been involved, you can get more detailed.
Listen, Listen, Listen
I cannot emphasize how important it is to listen to your employee’s concerns (hence the triple listens). Firstly, they could think of something you didn’t. They have a different perspective. They may make the idea better or help offset a future issue which hadn’t been considered. The earlier you can include them in the initiative, the more ownership they will feel and the more likely they will accept the change. This does not mean it is decision by committee — you still know what is best for your company. Secondly, listening to your employee shows respect and respect goes a long way toward acceptance.
Don’t Get Defensive
This is easier said than done — don’t get defensive when an employee gives negative feedback or reacts emotionally. Take a deep breath and keep listening and noting their concerns. Try to determine if the concerns are knee-jerk reactions or thoughful insights. Knee-jerk reactions just need a little more time to process. Thoughtful insights can be helpful for the initiative. Also, know your audience — perhaps the employee has a tendency to say “no” before they can say “yes.” In the end, if you get defensive when they give feedback, it sends the message that their feedback is worthless and they will probably be more resistant or resentful of the change.
Explain Again
Now you have listened to the feedback and you can go back to your employees with the same idea, only with a different perspective. Perhaps the feedback was about the shop adding automation and the employees fear for their jobs. Now you can explain how the automation will help them excel at their jobs without anyone losing their job. Perhaps the feedback was that the change would be too hard or it won’t work. Now you can get more in-depth on how it works, how it would be implemented and how it benefits the employees, the customer and the company.
People can change their minds. And those who accept the change initially can help you persuade the other employees to acceptance. It’s all about clear, thoughtful and authentic communication.
About the Author
Carli Kistler-Miller
Carli Kistler-Miller, MBA, has over 20 years of experience with communications, event/meeting planning, marketing, writing and operations. Email cmiller@pmpa.org at PMPA.
Related Content
The Value of Aligning Efforts to Promote Manufacturing Careers
Successfully building the next generation of manufacturers requires a team effort between employers, educators and parents. Each of these three groups has a tremendous impact on young people’s career decisions. Without the support of all three, we are unlikely to bridge the skilled labor shortage that threatens the future growth of our industry.
Read MoreGift a 3D Printer to an Employee?
Some shops have purchased inexpensive polymer 3D printers for their operations. Does it make sense to take this a step further and give (or loan) a sharp young employee one to experiment with at home? This small investment could pay off for your shop in different ways.
Read MoreCNC Machine Shop Employment Positions to Consider Beyond Machine Operators
Many machine shops have open machine operator positions to fill. But does it make sense for shops to also seek automation engineers, IT managers and assembly personnel?
Read More2023 Emerging Leaders Strengthen Their Staffs, Solve Problems
Superb critical thinking, top-notch leadership skills and a passion for building a strong team are a few of the common traits held by this year’s five Production Machining Emerging Leader award winners.
Read MoreRead Next
Avoid the 7 Deadly Sins of Manufacturing
Identifying and preventing these manufacturing sins will reduce or eliminate unnecessary waste, improve efficiency and productivity as well as protect profitability and cash flow.
Read MorePredicting the ROI of Robotic Automation
Various methodologies paired with online tools can help small to mid-sized manufacturers determine how to predict and calculate the potential economic benefits of robotic equipment for their specific needs.
Read MoreFielding Manufacturers’ FAQs about CMMC
Here are answers to frequently asked questions we as a provider of testing, consulting, information and compliance services receive about Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification.
Read More