Do you ever feel like you and/or your team are ‘under water’ and don’t know why? You may be experiencing change saturation.
Change saturation occurs when the threshold between capacity for change and the demands of implementing change is crossed. When this happens, people can experience a range of symptoms from confusion and frustration to physical impact. It can also manifest as morale issues, scattered buy-in, wasted resources, or only superficial change.
Want to know if you’re dealing with change saturation? Answer the following statements using a rating of low, medium, or high to get a high-level assessment of risk for change saturation:
- Has the right amount of time been allowed from the time the change was first discussed to when it was implemented?
- Is the change being implemented in an organized way?
- Is the amount of change in addition to normal jobs duties creating work overload?
- Are impacted individuals highly interdependent and rarely experience conflict?
- Has the change significantly increased stress-related health issues?
After completing the survey questions, integrate your scores to determine the level of risk. Then focus your attention and resources on the areas with the highest risk levels. Addressing those areas first will provide the most significant results.
About the Author
Heather Segelke is highly skilled in organization change management. She co-founded 6th Level Consulting Group and is currently a Managing Partner.
