Change is an all-encompassing term for so many things. The truth is that change can take many different forms from small to large and each kind of change in each kind of situation may need managing in a different way. This article examines some of the different kinds of change that need to be managed in different ways because they have a different effect on the employees involved.

Small, subtle changes in a workplace should not be dismissed as those that do not need any management. Any change no matter how small must be addressed and analysed in order to make it work. Relevant employees need to be told, even if this is via a simple memo. If people are not told and retrained (if required) then this will lead to confusion. Sometimes small changes will have a large impact because nobody was informed and employees were not given a chance to adjust.

What is an example of an apparently small change with a large impact? Say for example a new exit is built on your building and deemed as a fire escape. The old fire escape was unsafe and has been removed. Instead of making sure all employees are informed and even a new drill carried out to ensure everybody is aware, the signs were changed, but largely ignored. The next week an electrical fire breaks out and the unsuspecting employees attempt to exit the building by the now old fire escape. These employees could be seriously hurt or even killed. Although this is an extreme example, it is nevertheless a worthy example of a how a small change still needs to be identified and managed as it can still affect people drastically.

In another office, a major change took place. The company has purchased another office and the staff are now being relocated to the current main office. This requires a large amount of management and can mean a lot of stress for the employees involved on both sides. The staff coming to the new office will feel like outsiders and some sort of team building transition and introduction must be arranged. The physical relocation of the workstation must be managed along with an induction to the new company and its rules. This kind of change requires a certain amount of on-going management as it is not a simple few steps that will be complete once the boxes have been checked.

Some changes such as an office move will not be a change that affects the company alone. There will be many other people that dealt with the old bought out company and its old address. Suppliers as well as contacts and customers may need to be informed and updated and there are various ways to achieve this. When looking at a change, make sure that you are not focusing on the people involved as those in your direct remit. Changes can tend to fan out and affect lots of people that you may not even be aware of. Make sure that you are not trying to decide upon the management of a change without asking people involved who may have ideas that you have not thought of yourself. Do not be ashamed to ask for help as it will make your situation stronger.

So having looked at a couple of examples of change, how can you identify change in the future so that it can be managed appropriately? Look at an event objectively and carry out an assessment of the event. Who will it affect and what will the result be? Will any procedures be different so people will have to do something in a different way or learn something new? What will the affect be if you tell nobody about it? Asking yourself this type of question will allow you to get an idea of the level of impact the change will have. Once you are aware of the impact you will be able to manage it effectively since there will be a task list becoming obvious.

Once you have identified a change, note that it must be managed differently depending on whether it affects internal or external people. There will be elements to consider such as retraining for new skill sets, new marketing and advertising information and a whole range of other things. Above all, change should be handled sensitively and the emotional impact of change on people involved should always be managed with care.