A newly released survey on change management post pandemic has revealed that C-suites across the United States are out of sync with the rest of their organizations. This is culminating in disengagement and turnover.

Results from The Change Report 2022: A Study of Attitudes, Perceptions, and Impact of Workplace Change, by Notion Consulting, a leadership and transformation consultancy, found that employees and people managers are struggling for transparency, respect, and recognition.

“Our latest study reinforces what we tell all our clients: in order to drive successful transformation, leadership must understand that change is about people – their experiences, their behaviors, and their mindsets,” said Christine Andrukonis, founder and senior partner at Notion Consulting. “Those who stay curious, open-minded, and empathetic will reap the benefits — or otherwise risk disengaging and even losing key talent and customers, and ultimately damage their bottom line. It’s a delicate but meaningful balance.”

In August and September 2022, the company surveyed 325 U.S. professionals, ranging from C-suite executives to junior-level employees, about their experience with change in the workplace in 2022. Following are other key lessons from the study:

1. It’s tough leading people when change is constant. An estimated 75 per cent of the workforce experienced three or more major changes in the past 12 months. While change is necessary and often exhilarating, a constant swirl can impact the employee experience for the short- and long-term.
2. Attitudes vary dramatically based on where people sit. Most leadership (56 per cent) is overwhelmingly optimistic about change, proclaiming themselves as “enthusiasts” and “champions” of their emotional commitment to it, whereas individual employees are more hesitant and skeptical, considering themselves only “bystanders” (4 per cent) and “skeptics” (37 per cent). Significantly, 3 per cent of participants expressed a desire to leave their organization when hearing change is coming.
3. Successful change needs more human connection and empathy. An estimated 60 per cent of organizations are “mediocre or worse” at retaining and engaging employees. Top talent is leaving these organizations during times of change, causing employees to disengage (“quiet quitting”). They are feeling unseen, under-valued, and unappreciated, which puts the business at risk.
4. Managing change matters – and how it’s done can impact results. An estimated 40 per cent of organizations are failing to meet business objectives during times of change. Regarding the factors that make change management successful, 50 per cent of organizations are “mediocre or worse” at delivering best practices.

Prior to the pandemic, Notion Consulting interviewed 50 Fortune 500 executives and entrepreneurs about their business challenges in leading change. The proprietary study, Change 2020: How Successful Leaders Drive Change Now, has laid the groundwork for their efforts to create a community of practice and dialogue about leadership and change.