Change Fatigue – The Very Real Impact of Change

Change Fatigue is very real. As organizations push forward efforts to Digitally Transform their work – countless applications, processes, and reorgs are being tossed at employees. The change doesn’t stop – there is no ‘done’ for Digital Transformation. The future of work, as it were, has got to be better than this.

In the interim, along with all of this change comes Change Fatigue. The idea is that at some point, employees have had enough. The reaction to any new change then manifests into any number of responses.

It may look like Apathy or Indifference.

Resignation or Resistance.

It may be an increase in Passive Aggression to Outright Hostility.

It’s all quite reasonable for employees to feel any of these – status Quo is comfortable. Even if you are doing fantastic work, knowing what application to use, what boss to report to, or what TPS report to fill out allows our minds to settle and focus on our job.

What to do about Change Fatigue?

At a conference the other day, a member of Accenture’s leadership shared that too many Organizations are focused on the ‘Digital’ portion of Digital Transformation. Conversely, too few companies spend anywhere near the time on the ‘Transformation’ portion, resulting in poor implementations and employees with Change Fatigue.

From an organization’s perspective – review how to interpret and what to expect from a Change Initiative; here’s a post on Change Calibration.

From an employee’s perspective – look at what Change might look like for yourself. Ultimately, Change Fatigue requires an awareness of oneself and an understanding that we all get burnt out on change. Subsequently, in that moment of realization, you need to take a breath, dig into the why, and hit reset. Change Fatigue is real, and the only way through it is with a solid understanding of where you are in the change journey and heaps of empathy for everyone else.

References and Resources

Change Fatigue: Taking Its Toll on Your Employees? by Forbes; Type: Article

11 Emerging Lessons on Digital Transformation by Stephanie Overby; Type: Article

The Science of Willpower: How to Train Your Productivity Muscle by Oksana Tunikova; Type: Article

Facing Change – Knowing the Why Is Everything; Type: Article

Executive Summary

• Change Fatigue is a common phenomenon experienced by employees as organizations undergo digital transformations.
• The continuous barrage of changes, including new applications, processes, and reorganizations, can lead to various reactions such as apathy, indifference, resignation, resistance, passive aggression, or outright hostility.
• To address Change Fatigue, both organizations and employees need to take certain steps.
• First, Organizations should focus on the “Digital” aspect and the “Transformation” aspect of digital transformation to ensure successful implementations.
• Employees should reflect on how change affects them personally and be aware that everyone experiences burnout from constant change.
• Acknowledging Change Fatigue and approaching it with empathy and self-awareness can help individuals and organizations navigate the evolving work landscape.