Change is inevitable.  The only thing that is constant is change.  The more things change the more they stay the same.  No matter which cliché is your go-to, there is one thing I will guarantee:  you don’t like change.  No one does.  When change is afoot, it’s human nature to want to stay in your comfort zone.  The unknown can be scary and no one want to be in a position where they feel helpless or exposed.  Besides, why does something need to change when things are going pretty well as-is?  

Change in the workplace can be especially difficult.  You’ve spent years mastering your craft, building relationships, and learning the ins-and-outs of your company.  You know all of the policies and procedures and even figured out all of the software you must use to do your job.  Any forthcoming change, small or big, that threatens your performance or job security is sure to drive up the stress levels.

Common examples of workplace changes include managerial and organizational changes, downsizing, new products, new technology, and new office space/business locations.  However, smaller-scale changes may also be surprisingly difficult for employees to manage.

As a business owner or manager of people, there are many things you can do to ease your workforce through times of transition.  Large enterprises build robust change management plans when big changes are coming.  Small businesses can use the same basic principles.  Having a change management plan will keep employees focused on their task at hand, avoiding distractions and dips in morale.

Here are five tips that any business owner or manager can use when preparing their employees for change:

Throughout my career I've spent many years working on both sides of a consulting relationship.  As the consultant and as the client, I've seen projects go extremely well and others not so well. 

There are obviously many factors that contribute to the successes and failures of a project.  Overall, the natural tendency may be to conclude that a successful project was due to strong consultants, while an unsuccessful project was the result of poorly performing consultants.  In my experience, however, the lead client or client team can impact the outcome of a consulting project as much as, if not more than, the consultants.