“If you change the way you look at things;
the things you look at change.”
-Wayne Dyer
STAFF RESIST
CHANGE FOR
SEVERAL REASONS:
Means more work;
Changes the daily
system;
Involves learning
a new skill;
Pushes them out of
their comfort zone;
And affects customer
or patient flow.
HOW CAN WE
OVERCOME THIS
RESISTANCE WITH
OUR STAFF?
I have learned over
the years that not
everyone is as
welcoming to change
as I am so I try to
keep my exuberance
to myself to a degree.
You need to assist
the transition and find
ways to get the team
to embrace it instead
of resisting it.
Here are a few ways you
can start the process of
implementing new change:
Don’t Just Tell It, Sell It! Show The Results
You know why you want to do some-
thing but they don’t. You need to sell
them on the idea of what it is going
to do for the practice and what it
might potentially do for them and
their roles. This change may actually be more
work in the beginning and you can’t
hide that fact from the team, so be
upfront about the initial workload
but paint a picture of what is going
to happen after the implementation
phase and how it will not only assist
the office in better results but that it
is also going to make their job easier
or more efficient overall. Prepare
the employees by explaining how the
change is going to help them not just
how it will help the office.
Explain the big picture and lay out
the vision you are creating with this
change. Give them the opportunity
to ask questions so you can deal with
any negativity and misconceptions
as well as any fears it may have caused.
Make it Fun! Dispel Fears
Find a way to make it a good thing.
Maybe run a staff contest around the
implementation or plan a big staff
treat like an offsite excursion or party
after it is all finished so they have
something to look forward to and a
reward for their efforts in assisting
with the change as it happens. Take the time to talk with each
employee one on one as well as in a
team meeting. If it is a big change you
may be surprised at the fears they are
conjuring up that are unfounded and
unrealistic. The last thing you want is
for change to cause someone to
consider leaving when you could have
easily calmed their reaction by talking
about it openly.
Last notes….say thank you! Staff are often less anxious if they know all of
their efforts are noticed and appreciated.
Trudi Charest is the Co-Founder of 4ECPs, a business resource company
for eye care professionals. 4ECPs has six divisions: eye care jobs, market-
ing, training, social media, payments & events. Trudi can be reached at
[email protected] or www.4ecps.com.
Optical Prism | October 2017 37