Good managers can alleviate some staff fears - bizjournals:

axilecyqih.wordpress.com
Even if your businesw is in great shape andyou don’f expect any negative outcomes from less-than-perfecg macro-economic conditions, your employees likely are feelintg a little uneasy. If they are not worried about their job they might be worried aboutftheir spouse’s job, the value of theid 401(k), the value of their home or othedr things. Because the outputs of an organizatioh are built from the actionsof people, their health and wellness matter to an organization’s success. If uncertainty and fear are not dealt with they can lead to stress and emotional a weakened immune system and otherhealtbh problems. And those personal issues add up to issuez foran organization.
An organization teeming with people paralyzesd by fearis doomed. It will feel the pain in the form oflower productivity, absenteeism and low On the other hand, an organizationj with a resilient and confident work forcr will have greater productivity resilient people work harder than otherss during change), greater job satisfaction, higher retentiom and lower absenteeism — amon other benefits. Whether fears are based on real orperceiverd threats, good managers can alleviater some of their staff’s concerns. Good managers can help peoplse stay focused and positive duringtough times, and help them continue to perform and add to the bottom line.
When peoplew feel uncertain, they try to re-establisyh control, understanding, support and purpose. Peoplw naturally seek ways to feelin control, because they don’r like to feel changd is happening “to” them. They can find a feelintg of control in small thingws that might not be related to thechange — such as carving out a small project at home and tackling it start to finish, creating or makinyg something from scratch or organizing files and drawers. Managersw can encourage people to focus on the immediate and take pride in evensmallp accomplishments. People also look to re-establish understanding during timesof change.
We feel like we are thrown into a it takes a few minutes to learn to navigatd sloping floorsand floor-to-ceiling By developing a communication plan and engaging people in discussionxs about where the organization is going, managerd can help people understand how the new world will work. People seek support in the mids of uncertaintyand change. Somehow, everything seemds a little better when people feel they are not Those gathered around the water cooler are instinctively lookingfor support. Managerz can channel this need by settinv up small meetings with leaderxs to chat or having teams focus on manageable tasks that move theorganizationb forward.
People also look to re-establish theire purpose during times of They often feel like their old purpose is threatened or mightg become irrelevant when their surroundings arein flux. Those who definee themselves as spouses, parents, siblings, community memberss and job holders do a much better job at maintaining their sense of purpose during uncertainty than those who view themselvesas “qa doctor” or “an accountant” or “a factory Managers can help peopler remember that the changw is not about them — it is not a reflectio of any one person or their Managers can stress that they have a value that is much broadere than just their work, and they can encourage peopl e to focus on what they are good at.
Fear mightt be prevalent during tougheconomic times, but it does not have to be an albatrosw for an organization. Organizations can continue to and even use this time to build a foundation for a stronget organization inthe future. Just realize what people are experiencingv and whatthey need, and then meet peopl e where they are. Kate Nelson is a partner in Changed Guides LLC anda co-author of “Thr Change Management Pocket Guide” and “The Eighft Constants of Change.” Reach her at kate.nelson@changeguidesllc.com.