Finding Calm in the Chaos: How to Prevent and Navigate Change Fatigue

As a seasoned HR leader, Quinn [not her real name] has weathered countless organizational shifts, leadership changes, process overhauls, and technology upgrades. But lately, the pace of change felt relentless.

Quinn’s employer had just merged with a larger conglomerate. Her inbox overflowed with new information, and each morning she faced a barrage of new directives. The HR team was tossed from one project to another, like a ship caught in a perpetual storm. The once-cohesive crew now resembled a collection of drenched sailors clinging to the mast.

Rather than continue to be victimized by the change, Quinn decided to confront the storm head-on. Quinn shared her own struggles with the HR team—the sleepless nights and the growing anxiety.

“We’re not alone,” she said. “Change fatigue is real. But we can navigate this together.”

The group brainstormed ways to ease the burden. Proactive rest periods—mini sabbaticals away from the chaos—became mandatory. Quinn encouraged her team members to disconnect, recharge, and rediscover hobbies. “Remember,” she said, “we’re not machines; we’re humans.”

The team also became architects of change. Instead of being passive recipients, they became more actively engaged to help shape the transformations happening in their workplace. Change remained a constant, but now they faced it as a crew, not as castaways.

Does Quinn’s story sound familiar? If so, here are some tips on navigating change fatigue.

How HR Can Help Employees Navigate Change

Change fatigue is a real challenge for employees, especially in today’s rapidly evolving work environment. HR leaders can take several steps to help employees combat the head-spinning pace of change:

• Focus on the employee experience. Recognize that employees’ ability to absorb change has decreased. Prioritize how employees experience change instead of just focusing on the outcomes.
• Address everyday changes. While large-scale transformations get attention, day-to-day changes—such as moving to a new manager or team—also have a significant impact on employees. Encourage managers to address those more personal changes, too.
• Offer timely support. Provide change management support when employees begin to experience the reality of a change, not just when that change is announced.
• Empower employees. Use an “open-source” approach that actively involves employees in change management. Avoid top-down mandates.
• Teach resilience. Help employees build their change-management toolkits by teaching them evidence-based stress management techniques and coping skills. Create a psychologically safe workplace culture where employees can express their concerns.
• Communicate transparently. Announce changes transparently and explain their purpose well in advance.

How You Can Personally Navigate Change Fatigue

In addition to helping your teams and employees manage change, it’s important for you, as a leader, to establish your own personal coping strategies. Here are some tactics:

• Acknowledge the change. Recognize that change is happening and allow yourself time to process it. Ignoring, delaying, or resisting change can increase your fatigue.
• Establish a self-care routine. That includes prioritizing sleep, exercise, and nutrition. Consider engaging in stress-reducing activities, such as meditation or hobbies, and explore mental health resources provided by your employer.
• Talk it out and ask questions. Talk to your manager or team lead about your concerns. Ask questions about the changes and seek clarity on what is not changing to help maintain perspective.
• Focus on one thing at a time. Break down any tasks related to the change into smaller steps. Prioritize and tackle them sequentially.
• Take breaks. Periodically step away from work to recharge, and use paid time off if needed.

Remember: It’s OK to feel overwhelmed during periods of change. But it’s critical to seek support, communicate openly, and prioritize self-care to manage change effectively. As Quinn learned from her experience, resilience isn’t about weathering every storm—it’s about finding calm within chaos.

Lucinda Smith is an executive coach and advisor as well as a SHRM Executive Network executive advisor. Previously, she was a senior executive at AGCO Corporation.