Change Is Coming. Are You Ready for It?

Changing course

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2025 is set to be a year of big changes for many of us. The United States has a new/returning administration. Employees at several large companies are being called back to the office five days a week after working remotely since 2020. Attitudes toward things people have long enjoyed, including alcoholic beverages, are changing, and corporate priorities are shifting with many companies reducing their focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

And, of course, January 1 brought personal intentions to make changes to our own lives—to be healthier, to finally get organized, to live more frugally, etc.—all in an effort to improve ourselves.

Change is definitely in the air. And, yet, it’s no secret that change can be difficult for people.

But does it matter whether the changes we’re facing are self-imposed or imposed upon us by others? Yes, of course. In general, self-imposed changes are often easier to manage because we chose those changes.

That’s not to say that all self-imposed changes are easy to manage. Certainly not. Anybody who has recently resolved to hit the gym every day at the crack of dawn knows that self-imposed changes can be challenging, too!

Research has long indicated that the more change we deal with in a year, the more likely we are to become ill (Holmes & Rahe, 1967). Good or bad change—surprisingly, it doesn’t matter. It’s the amount and degree of upheaval that the change instigates that determines the impact.

However, unwelcome changes that have been forced upon us are particularly challenging for us to deal with. For example, perhaps you must return to the office, and you’d rather not. Perhaps you are laid off unexpectedly. Perhaps you’re not thrilled with the new administration. Perhaps a loved one is facing a serious illness.

How can we deal effectively with these changes? We can learn a lot from the field of change management within organizational psychology.

Common Reactions to Change Imposed Upon Us

From the earliest research on change to Johnson asking Who Moved My Cheese? (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Johnson, 1998; Kübler-Ross, 1969; Lewin, 1947; Salerno & Brock, 2008), psychologists have recognized the common reactions to change, especially unwelcome changes imposed upon us. See which reactions you've experienced:

• Fear and anxiety.
• Worst-case scenario thinking. An automotive manufacturer announced a move of its headquarters across the country, requiring employees to move, and I was asked to lead change management trainings for their employees. As part of that process, employees were asked to write their fears on sticky notes and post them anonymously. I was shocked that so many employees responded, “I’m going to be homeless.” What? How they got from "a move” to “homelessness” didn’t make sense to me as an outsider, but it was pervasive and is an example of the worst-case scenario thinking that is very common in the early stages of a major change.
• Anger. You may think, “This is ridiculous!” “They don’t know what they are doing.” “This doctor is a quack.”
• Refusal to go along with the change and a determination to continue as usual.
• Acceptance of the situation and adapting to the new reality.
• Excitement about a bit of novelty in our lives.
• Departing the situation. This may take the form of, say, leaving your company for one more aligned with your values and needs.

Strategies to Manage Change More Smoothly

Big changes can be challenging, but psychologists and change managers know some strategies that can ease the process and enable people to get through change with less anxiety and resistance (Ball, 2024; Harikkala-Laihinen, 2022; Rafferty & Jimmieson, 2018; Roskin, 1982; Salerno & Brock, 2008).

If you’re imposing the change:

• Communicate, communicate, communicate. Do not assume people heard or understood your explanation the first time. People need to hear something seven times for it to sink in! Yes, seven.
• Give the announcement of change the appropriate gravitas it deserves. I once was on a company-wide call in which a corporate split was to be announced, having major implications for employees, and instead of the announcement getting the significance it warranted, it was softly stated almost like another housekeeping item, and the subject quickly changed. Poorly handled!
• Listen to concerns. There may be repercussions that weren’t considered in advance and must be dealt with.
• Don't sugar-coat it. There will be downsides for some folks, and glossing over them reduces their trust in you.
• Remember when? Remind people of other changes they’ve successfully navigated.
• You go first. Take the initiative to regularly check in with people impacted by the change one on one.
• Fix what you can. If there are ways you can help soften the blow, do so.

If the change is being imposed upon you:

• Consider the change you’re facing. Do you have some fears and anxieties about it? List them.
• Now consider two or three significant changes you’ve faced in your life. Bring them to mind. What were your fears when facing these changes? List them. Afterward, look at that list and ask yourself, "What percentage of those fears came true?" Likely only a small proportion.
• Considering those changes, did you get through them? Yes. And you can get through this one, too.
• If you’re resisting a change, why? What do you think is going to happen? Now ask yourself, “Is that really the most likely scenario… or the worst-case scenario?” Oftentimes when a change we don’t like is forced upon us, we head directly to “worst-case scenario” thinking. Challenge yourself to think critically about what’s really most likely to occur.
• Ask questions. Occasionally our resistance to change--particularly work-related change--is due to not having all the information. Seek out information first so that you have the whole story and fully understand the nature of and rationale behind the change before getting angry.
• Gather support and resources. Take care of yourself, and obtain the support and resources you need from friends, family, and/or professionals to help you face this change.

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Once you have all the relevant information and the support you need so that the anxiety is reduced a bit, you're better able to strategize effectively. Brainstorm all the possible steps you could take to move yourself forward in this new reality. When it seems all reasonable options are on the table, consider them carefully and choose the very best one for you. Onward!