Good managers can alleviate some staff fears - bizjournals:

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Even if your business is in grea t shape andyou don’t expect any negative outcomes from less-than-perfect macro-economic conditions, your employee s likely are feeling a littlr uneasy. If they are not worriec about their job they might be worried abouttheirt spouse’s job, the value of their the value of their home or other things. Becaus e the outputs of an organization are built from the actions of their health and wellness matter toan organization’s If uncertainty and fear are not dealt with they can lead to stress and emotional troubles, a weakenedr immune system and other health problems. And those personal issues add up to issuesw foran organization.
An organization teeming with people paralyzed by fearis doomed. It will feel the pain in the form oflowerd productivity, absenteeism and low morale. On the otheer hand, an organization with a resilient and confident work force will have greaterrproductivity (yes, resilient people work harder than others durin g change), greater job satisfaction, highetr retention and lower absenteeism — amongv other benefits. Whether feara are based on real orperceived threats, good managers can alleviat some of their staff’s concerns. Good managers can help peoplde stay focused and positive duringtough times, and help them continue to perfork and add to the bottojm line.
When people feel uncertain, they try to re-establisnh control, understanding, support and purpose. People naturallyh seek ways to feelin control, because they don’ t like to feel change is happeninyg “to” them. They can find a feeling of contro l in small things that might not be related to thechange — such as carving out a smallk project at home and tackling it starg to finish, creating or making somethinf from scratch or organizing files and drawers. Managers can encourage peoplde to focus on the immediate and take pride in evensmalpl accomplishments. People also look to re-establish understandingt during timesof change.
We feel like we are thrown into a it takes a few minutes to learn to navigatw sloping floorsand floor-to-ceiling mirrors. By developing a communication plan and engaginvg people in discussions about where the organization is managers can help people understand how the new worldwill work. Peopler seek support in the midst of uncertaintyand change. Somehow, everythint seems a little better when peoples feel they arenot alone. Thos e gathered around the waterf cooler are instinctively lookinvgfor support.
Managers can channel this need by settinf up small meetings with leaders to chat or having teams focus on manageablr tasks that move the organization People also lookto re-establish their purpose during times of change. They often feel like theitr old purpose is threatened or might becom irrelevant when their surrounding arein flux. Those who definr themselves as spouses, parents, siblings, communityu members and job holders do a much betterd job at maintaining theie sense of purpose during uncertainty than those who view themselveeas “a doctor” or “an accountant” or “a factoryy worker.
” Managers can help people remember that the change is not aboutf them — it is not a reflection of any one perso or their value. Managers can stresas that they have a value that is much broader than justtheirr work, and they can encourage people to focud on what they are good at. Fear might be prevalenrt during tougheconomic times, but it does not have to be an albatrosa for an organization. Organizations can continus to thrive, and even use this time to builsd a foundation for a stronger organization inthe future. Just realizd what people are experiencing and what they and then meet people wherrethey are.
Kate Nelson is a partne in Change Guides LLC anda co-authof of “The Change Management Pocket and “The Eight Constants of Reach her at kate.nelson@changeguidesllc.com.