How management can prevent the downside of change

Perhaps not surprisingly, a series of studies within service industries found that staff cutbacks invariably have a negative impact on frontline employees' ability to interact successfully with customers.     
​        But what they also found is that good management can at least attenuate this impact, particularly where there is an established basis of trust between management and employees.

​"​Where trust has been built between the management and the staff, the negativity associated with efficiency driven change can often be eased. This does not mean that trust in management will entirely prevent the negative consequences of cutback focused change, but it will definitely ease the consequences and, where that trust does not exist, cutback focused change will invariable result in worse outcomes than intended."

 

Using  models such as Patrick Lencioni's 5 dysfunctions approach is a great way to get started in building trust, first in the senior management team.

        There are many models that help build personal and inter-personal trust and all of them depend on a significant investment of time by senior management. This time investment clearly pays off in the good times but the new study shows that it can also help tide you through the more difficult experiences of a business turn-down or the impact that a significant technology change may have on your business.
        Or maybe you just called the 'efficiency consultants' in and they over-promised? You wouldn't be the first who needs to cope with the aftermath effectively.

To access more on this topic, go to: ​https://www.oxford-review.com/prevent-the-downside-of-change/