When you achieve a change goal but nobody is happy

I was once asked to solve a seemingly straightforward problem: balance the workload of a team that faced drastic ups and downs in demand. During the high season, they needed extra hands; during the low season, they had too much downtime. The solution seemed obvious – just redistribute the work and reduce the need for seasonal hires. Easy, right?

But as I dove in, I quickly found it was anything but simple. What I thought would be a process improvement project turned out to be a lesson in how complex change can get – and how much emotions and team dynamics come into play.

Here’s what happened and the insights I gained along the way.

The Project That Revealed Hidden Challenges

To tackle this, we formed a team of internal experts to analyze the workload and find a way to even it out. Our goal was to make the work more steady and less volatile, ultimately saving the organization money and reducing burnout. However, we ran into unexpected resistance.

Even though everyone agreed that balancing the workload was a good idea, teams felt that management was interfering with how they did their jobs. They worried that reducing the need for extra help made their work seem less important. Some teams even felt they were being questioned on how hard they worked. Suddenly, what looked like a small process tweak turned into a situation where team members felt their roles – and even their value – were under scrutiny.

While the changes did succeed in balancing the workload and creating efficiencies, the teams involved weren’t exactly happy. Even though they had participated in recommending the solution, they struggled to feel ownership over it. It became clear that the human side of change was as important as the practical results.

Key Lessons in Managing Change

Here are the biggest lessons I learned from this experience. These insights could help you avoid some of the same pitfalls.

1. Know What Type of Change You’re Leading

Before diving into any change, ask yourself: Is this an organizational change or a project change?

• Organizational Change impacts the culture, structure, or way the organization as a whole operates. It requires a long-term vision and a lot of buy-in across departments.
• Project Change is more focused and usually involves specific processes or tools within one area. It can be managed with a shorter-term, efficient rollout.

In our case, I thought we were dealing with a simple project change. But it turned out that by adjusting workload practices, we were influencing the culture and identity of the teams. I underestimated how deeply these teams valued their autonomy.

2. Assess If the Organization Is Ready for This Change

Sometimes a change, no matter how logical, can feel like a disruption to the way things have “always been done.” This can be especially true when the change touches on people’s identities or the established norms in an organization.

When you’re planning a change, consider if the team is prepared for a shift. Ask yourself:

• Are we challenging assumptions about how work gets done?
• Will this change affect the fundamental way people see their roles?

In my case, the workload balancing initiative made people feel as though their importance was being minimized, even though that wasn’t the intent.

3. Set Both Rational and Emotional Goals

Most people think of change in terms of logical goals, like improving efficiency or saving money. But change also has an emotional side. How will people feel throughout this change process?

• Rational Goals are the practical outcomes you want to achieve, like reducing costs or improving workflows.
• Emotional Goals focus on how people experience the change. For example, ensuring that teams feel valued, respected, and engaged.

In hindsight, I would have set clearer emotional goals and made sure team leaders understood the importance of supporting their teams through the change. This might have made a big difference in how people felt about the process.

Warning Signs to Watch For

Based on this experience, here are a few signals that might indicate something is going wrong with your change process:

• Silence in Meetings: If usually vocal team members are suddenly quiet, they might be feeling disengaged or uncomfortable.
• No Progress on Simple Actions: If straightforward recommendations aren’t being implemented, it may be a sign that people don’t fully support the change.
• Lack of Enthusiasm: If you notice a general lack of energy or commitment, it could mean that people are resistant to the change.

Also, look for signs of misalignment:

• The issues keep resurfacing in discussions despite being “resolved.”
• People taking actions that go against the agreed-upon plan.
• Teams define “territories” or act in ways that protect their own interests rather than collaborating.

When you see these signs, it’s time to re-engage and address people’s concerns openly.

Final Thoughts

Not every change goes smoothly, and sometimes the toughest experiences bring the richest insights. The takeaway from my story? Change isn’t just about efficiency or cost savings – it’s about people. By paying attention to both the practical and emotional sides of change, you can navigate even the most complex situations with greater success.

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