Partner: GCS
The latest statistics from Statistics South Africa indicate that the business environment remains volatile, with numerous companies entering financial distress, undergoing business rescue, and ultimately facing liquidation. This heightens the need for effective change management to adapt to current conditions.
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, change management is not just a necessity; it’s a competitive advantage. Organisations that fail to adapt to risk stagnation, while those that embrace structured transformation drive innovation, resilience, and long-term success. In an era defined by economic uncertainty, digital disruption, and shifting consumer demands, businesses must strategically manage change to ensure agility, alignment, and employee engagement, thereby thriving amid disruption rather than struggling against it. I recently read insights on the Forbes website, which provides greater insights into why teams within your company may struggle with change.
Too many changes happening at once
How often do we cram multiple transformations into the same quarter? Think about your organisation for a moment. How many initiatives are happening right now? A new software rollout overlaps with a company-wide reorganisation, while initiatives aimed at upgrading culture compete for attention. This “more is better” mentality often turns into cognitive overload for teams.
The Forbes article points out that the fix is simple, though rarely easy: focus. Leaders need to prioritise and stagger initiatives rather than piling them up. Instead of launching three major shifts simultaneously, focus on sequencing. Tackling one or two significant changes at a time allows employees to adapt at a sustainable pace without sacrificing quality or morale.
Failing to measure the human side of change
You can track cost savings, efficiency gains, and adoption speeds all you want, but how are you measuring employee engagement, well-being, or retention during a transition? The numbers matter, sure, but too often, success is defined solely by business metrics, leaving the human impact of change unaccounted for.
The Forbes article notes that companies should expand their metrics to capture the impact of change on mental health and cultural alignment. Regular pulse surveys, one-on-one check-ins, and team sentiment analysis should be complemented by financial KPIs. When people feel seen and heard during transitions, their engagement naturally increases.
Ignoring the “laws of human energy”
The truth is, we can’t sprint forever. Human energy is finite and cyclical, yet many organisations expect peak performance through every single change initiative. The result? Burnout becomes the new baseline.
The Forbes article highlights that companies need to align major transformations with natural energy rhythms. Avoid launching initiatives during peak stress periods, such as Q4. Align significant changes with seasons when employees are naturally more energised, for example, at the start of a fiscal year. Build in moments of recovery between campaigns. Leadership that respects natural energy cycles fosters resilience.
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Corporate Stockholm Syndrome
Have you noticed employees defending outdated systems and processes, even when they’re clearly no longer efficient? Change provokes fear, and fear drives people to cling to the past.
To break this cycle, try introducing “reverse nostalgia.” The Forbes article highlights that companies should host retrospectives, allowing teams to experience firsthand the inefficiencies of outdated processes. Reliving those frustrations builds appreciation for the direction you’re heading. Change doesn’t feel as scary when the alternative is a reminder of pain points everyone agrees to leave behind.
Competing in the attention economy
We’re leading teams in one of the most distracted periods in human history. Social media, endless news cycles, and external crises siphon attention away from internal priorities. If your change messaging feels like noise in an already crowded ecosystem, you’re going to lose your audience.
The solution? The Forbes article notes that companies should similarly approach internal change communications to a media campaign. Utilise storytelling techniques to create teaser trailers for upcoming transformations and design visually captivating “mini-documentaries” that spark curiosity among employees. Don’t just inform. Engage.
The big-bang obsession
Why do organisations wait too long to change and then resort to massive, overwhelming transformations?
Instead, try the “slow change for fast results” mindset. The Forbes article suggests that companies should break down significant transformations into small, manageable experiments. Test on a smaller scale, gather feedback and refine before implementing it company-wide. Gradual evolution isn’t just easier on employees – it delivers faster, more consistent results over time.
No clear “exit criteria”
Ask yourself this honest question: When was the last time your company “finished” a transformation? One of the most significant contributors to change fatigue is the feeling that it never seems to end. When transformations stretch endlessly without defined success metrics, employees end up stuck in a perpetual limbo of transition.
The Forbes article points out that every change initiative should have a definitive endpoint. Success metrics should signal when the change is complete, at which point the organisation moves into stabilisation mode. Building “stabilisation phases” into your strategy is critical to avoiding long-term exhaustion.
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Driving change that works
Organisations that thrive in times of transformation don’t just manage change—they master it. The key isn’t launching more initiatives but ensuring each one is strategic, sustainable, and synchronised with the realities of human capacity. Businesses must move beyond metrics to measure employee engagement, mental well-being, and energy rhythms, ensuring that change doesn’t become synonymous with burnout.
Successful transformation demands focus, agility, and communication that cuts through the noise. Whether it’s breaking cycles of resistance, aligning change with attention economics, or ensuring a clear exit strategy, leaders must think beyond short-term gains and prioritise long-term resilience. Change fatigue is real, but when employees feel heard, empowered, and guided through intentional shifts, businesses don’t just survive transitions, they accelerate growth, build stronger cultures, and create lasting impact. The future belongs to companies that embrace change as a catalyst, not a crisis. In this environment, business rescue and turnaround professionals play a pivotal role in restoring stability and driving transformation. They provide strategic intervention, helping organisations restructure operations, optimise financial health, and regain market competitiveness. Their expertise in risk mitigation, leadership alignment, and change management ensures that struggling companies not only recover but also emerge stronger. By guiding businesses through targeted recalibration, they help create a sustainable path forward, ensuring that transformation isn’t just reactive but an opportunity for lasting success.
