Adapting to change in the workplace

However workplaces and roles are constantly evolving, requiring your career development to include soft skills such as critical thinking, communication skills, leadership abilities and problem-solving skills that better allow you to tackle new challenges in new environments.
What is adaptability to change?
How to demonstrate adaptability in the workplace
How to handle change at work
1. Challenge your interpretation of the facts
- Is your interpretation of the change you are facing rational, objective and based purely on the facts?
- Can you challenge your interpretation with an opposing argument?
- If so, what’s the alternative perspective of this situation?
2. Ask questions
3. Recognise and rationalise the voice of caution
4. Reframe change as an opportunity
- Forget the way the change was worded when it was communicated to you. Instead, think about how you would word this challenge or change if you were to explain it to others. Saying it out loud might help you to detect what about the change is troubling you.
- What are the real implications and opportunities for you?
- How will the change affect your life in a practical sense? For example, will you have to work longer hours or tackle some difficult decisions without as much guidance from your manager? Will you take on additional responsibilities that will help your career progress longer term? Will it give you the opportunity to build new skills?
- In the past, when you handled change really well, what did you do and what actions in particular really worked?
- The aim here is to try to keep things in perspective and aligned with what really matters to you and your career.
5. Break down the information
- Consider your key tasks and identify those that will change and which will stay the same.
- Highlight any new responsibilities you will have, what they entail and when key actions will be required.
- Find out what the new priorities will be, what the expectations will be for you individually going forward and how this will be monitored.
- Find out how you will need to collaborate with your team going forward.
- Think about how you will need to use systems differently or what new software you will need to become familiar with.
- Identify any areas where you feel you may need more knowledge or skills to carry out your role successfully.
- Make sure you’re checking in regularly with your colleagues and manager to run through any decisions or processes you’re unsure of.
6. Be patient with yourself, persevere and ask for help if needed
7. Broaden your comfort zone
8. Celebrate daily wins
9. Remember it’s a lifelong skill
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