Explain the problem the change is meant to solve
A launch date and login instructions describe the mechanics, not the purpose. Explain what is no longer working, what the change should improve and how it affects daily tasks. Separate what has been decided from what employees can still influence. This gives people an honest basis for questions rather than asking them to infer the reasons.
Listen before labelling a response
A question about the new process may reflect a genuine gap in the design. Ask which task feels harder and what support would help. Distinguish disagreement about the objective from uncertainty about carrying it out. You can acknowledge a concern without agreeing to retain every old practice or promising that the transition will be effortless.
Build practice into the transition
Introduce a manageable task that employees can complete with support. Make instructions easy to find and identify who can answer questions. A growth mindset is useful when it encourages learning from a specific difficulty, rather than treating every concern as a negative attitude. Review what happened in the practice and adjust the support.
Reinforce the behaviour after launch
A change becomes part of work through repeated decisions and consistent expectations. Agree which old process is being replaced, how exceptions are handled and who reviews progress. Recognise useful attempts and address contradictory management signals. Change management training can support these conversations; operational ownership still belongs with the organisation.
Worked example: Turning a complaint into a practice task
In an illustrative scenario, staff say a new approval workflow “takes too long”. A manager observes one submission and discovers uncertainty about supporting documents. The team practises a sample request and improves the checklist. The manager also escalates an unnecessary approval step. Listening identifies both a learning need and a process issue, instead of treating resistance as a single attitude problem.
Put it into practice
- State why the old approach needs to change.
- Ask what feels uncertain or difficult.
- Provide a realistic supported practice task.
- Review exceptions and reinforce agreed habits.