Change of any sort is difficult
for people: marriage, divorce, a new baby, relocation, a job change, etc.
When
an entire organization experiences changes, it is common for employees to experience
a psychological group phenomenon that could be classified as a collective Adjustment
Reaction with mixed emotional features: anger, sadness, fear, panic, etc. Change
means "stress" and reactions to stress are FIGHT, FLIGHT or FREEZE!
During a recent Working through Change seminar at one company, a woman in her mid-thirties shared with me that she has had a recurrent dream that she is a figure on a giant chess board. During her dream, a large hand comes down from above and moves her from square to square. Deep in her consciousness she feels she has lost control.
One of the most common after-effects of change is our perception that we are powerless. Left untreated the sense of powerlessness can lead to problems of anxiety and depression. Complicating this issue is a sense of lost identity and confusion. It is a natural human trait to attach our sense of self worth with what we do. Unfortunately this sense can be adversely affected when we undergo a changes.
Our wellness in this area can be directly correlated with our quality of life outside the office and our job performance. It is interesting to note that the mental health disability claims at this company increased 39 percent during the year of change.
When corporate culture changes, we need to re-orient ourselves. We need to re-establish our work ethic with a "worth ethic." The most helpful process for a successful adjustment to change is creating a vision of where the organization is going, and comparing that vision against perceptions of where we are now both personally and as organization.
You can help bridge the gap by asking yourself a few questions:
A self interview is helpful, but you might want to go over these questions with someone you feel comfortable with, such as an objective third party. It's important to draw upon your individual support systems: family, work and social. Your Civilian Employee Assistance Program Counseling and Referral Service (CEAP C/RS) is another avenue to consider because CEAP C/RS counselors can be very helpful when experiencing the stress of change.
It's natural to experience anger, apathy, loss and fear. However, it's not wise to allow yourself to remain paralyzed by those feelings without taking some action for movement and hope for the future
For more information call CEAP C/RS at (202) 433-0087 or outside the local dialing area you may use 1-800-995-9791.