Change Management Communication Tips: Field-Tested Top 3

Change Management Communication Can Make or Break Your Plans for Change
Organization change is inevitable, but successful change is not. Leaders often focus on strategies, technologies, and processes while underestimating the critical role of change management communication. Yet, Change Management Communication Tips research consistently shows that effective communication is one of the top predictors of successful change initiatives.

• According to McKinsey, companies that communicate effectively during change are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers in implementing strategic initiative.
• Research by Prosci shows that organizations with high employee engagement in change communication are 6 times more likely to meet or exceed project objectives.
• Our organizational alignment research found that timely information flow and transparency of communication have the fourth highest correlation to higher performance.

Common Communication Pitfalls That Derail Change
Change management communication is not a peripheral activity — it is foundational to effectively leading and managing change.  Don’t make change more difficult by communicating it poorly.   Change efforts stumble when change leaders treat communication as a one-time announcement rather than a continuous process. Common missteps include:

• Overloading with Jargon
  Technical language or corporate buzzwords can obscure the message and alienate employees.
• Having Message Inconsistencies
  Different messages from leadership at various levels create confusion and erode trust.
• Ignoring Feedback Loops
  Without mechanisms to listen, leaders miss vital information about employee concerns, morale, and adoption challenges.
• Assuming Understanding
  Simply sending an email or posting a slide deck does not ensure comprehension or commitment.

To Properly Communicate Change, You Must Start with How Employees Feel About Change
For most, change at work introduces uncertainty and triggers anxiety. Without clear, consistent, and transparent communication, even the well-crafted strategies can struggle. The word “change” alone can make some employees wince and resist changes at work. They know change can mean:

• Being asked to do more work.
• Having different performance expectations.
• Needing to learn new skills.
• Losing power, knowledge, information, or even job security.

Leaderships’ Role During Change
Change management simulation data research consistently shows that employees look to leaders to clearly explain why change is necessary and why it’s worth the effort — for both them and the organization. Leaders are expected not just to announce change but to make a compelling business case for change that inspires confidence and commitment.

What change leaders often overlook, however, is their own familiarity with the change. By the time it reaches the broader workforce, they have likely spent weeks or months contemplating the rationale, debating strategies with the senior team, and mapping out detailed implementation steps — often behind closed doors.

When it comes time to communicate with employees, this insider perspective can create a blind spot. Leaders may rush through explanations or unintentionally assume the workforce understands the reasoning and context that feels obvious to them. As a result, employees can feel disconnected, confused, or unprepared to embrace the change. Recognizing this gap — and slowing down to walk the workforce through the journey — can be the difference between successful adoption and resistance.

3 Change Management Communication Tips from the Trenches
Based upon over two decades of change management consulting, employees tell us that it is better to over-communicate and take the time to garner their support.

1. Give Employees As Much Information As You Can
   Tell employees why you feel the organizational change is vital to the success and well-being of the company. Paint a clear picture of what will happen if the change does not occur and what you expect will happen when it does.

   Honestly tell them how it will affect them as individuals and teams.  Tell them what you know, what you do not know, and when you expect to be able to fill in the blanks.

2. Accentuate the Positive
   Because major organizational change takes time, you need to inspire people to the cause. People need to believe that the extra effort is worth it. While you should not sugarcoat the inherent risks, be crystal clear about how the change will specifically improve the status quo at the individual, team, and organizational levels.

   The more specific and personal you can be, the better your chances of gaining employee commitment from the start.

3. Invite Employee Feedback and Foster Active Participation
   Empower employees to take an active role in shaping how change unfolds at both the individual and team level. When people feel a genuine sense of ownership over the process, they see themselves as contributors to a meaningful initiative — one designed to drive success for themselves, their teams, and the organization as a whole.

   The more control and input employees have in designing and executing the change, the stronger their commitment becomes. Ownership transforms resistance into engagement, turning potential skeptics into advocates and significantly increasing the likelihood that the change will be fully embraced and sustained.

The Bottom Line
Change initiatives succeed or fail largely based on how well communication is executed. Leaders who prioritize clarity, consistency, frequency, and engagement create the conditions for employees to embrace change rather than resist it. Treat communication as a strategic asset, integrate it throughout the change lifecycle, and continually listen to feedback. Done right, communication transforms uncertainty into opportunity and progress.

To learn more about Change Management Communication Tips, download 6 Critical Questions to Properly Initiate Change