A practical framework to help leaders navigate change effectively — leading your team, managing people risks, and looking after yourself along the way.
This toolkit gives you targeted, evidence-based strategies across two areas: how you lead through change, and how you support your team and yourself while doing it. Select an area below to get started.
Strategies for leading effectively through change — building clarity, managing people risks, and maintaining team confidence.
How to stay connected with your team's wellbeing, have effective support conversations, and maintain your own resilience.
Research shows the following leadership behaviours are particularly important during times of uncertainty and change. You're likely already doing many of these — this is about sharpening your focus on the areas that make the biggest difference.
People handle change better when they understand why it's happening and how it connects to something meaningful.
Uncertainty is amplified when people don't know what to expect. Consistent, timely decisions and routines reduce anxiety.
Teams take their cues from their leader. Measured confidence — without dismissing real challenges — helps people move forward.
Trust is built when leaders communicate honestly — including about what hasn't been decided yet.
People cope better with change when they feel part of a team going through it together.
Recognition during change reinforces that effort is noticed, even when outcomes are still uncertain.
The following psychosocial risks have been shown to increase during periods of organisational change. Recognising them early means you can act before they escalate. Expand each risk to see what it looks like and what practical controls you can put in place.
During change, workloads often increase as people take on new tasks while still doing their existing role.
Change often shifts reporting lines, team structures, and expectations.
When people feel decisions are being made about them rather than with them, it increases frustration.
When people feel unsupported during change it amplifies every other risk factor.
Fear about job loss is one of the most common stressors during change.
Change can disrupt established team dynamics and create tension.
When people perceive change is being done to them without adequate communication or consultation.
If people feel change-related decisions lack transparency, it breeds resentment.
During change, people often take on extra work. When this goes unacknowledged, it saps motivation.
These challenges are addressed by:
Start early and keep consulting throughout — genuine input helps surface risks you may not see.
Name the specific hazard — is it workload, role clarity, job security? Being precise helps you act on the right thing.
Consider how likely it is to cause harm, how many people are affected, and how long it's been going on.
Put practical measures in place — from adjusting workloads, to clarifying roles, to improving communication.
Check that the controls are working. Follow up to ensure the risk is genuinely being managed.
Effective consultation means creating genuine opportunities for your team to share their experience of the change — and using that input to inform decisions. It works best when it's timely (starting before issues emerge), inclusive (involving those directly affected), and honest (acknowledging where input can and can't influence the outcome). Done well, it builds trust and surfaces risks early.
Supporting your team during change means noticing when something is off, creating the conditions for people to speak up, and having practical conversations when they need it. You don't need to be a counsellor — you just need to be present, consistent, and willing to act.
The key is knowing what "normal" looks like for each person so you can spot when something shifts.
Withdrawing from team activities, increased absenteeism, lateness, reduced participation in meetings, changes in work habits, avoidance of tasks they used to engage with, or uncharacteristic conflict with colleagues.
Increased irritability or frustration, appearing flat or disengaged, unusual emotional reactions to routine situations, expressions of hopelessness or cynicism that are out of character.
Difficulty concentrating, increased errors, indecisiveness, forgetfulness, or struggling with tasks that were previously straightforward.
Looking fatigued or run down, changes in appetite, increased complaints of headaches or illness, or visible tension and restlessness.
It's always better to ask the question and find out everything is fine, than to assume someone is okay or that someone else will check in. If you're unsure — just ask.
Empathy is about genuinely seeking to understand another person's perspective — not fixing, advising, or redirecting too quickly.
People are more likely to come to you when they're struggling if they believe it's safe to do so.
When you notice someone is struggling, this framework gives you a simple structure. It's not about having all the answers — it's about showing up, listening, and helping them take a practical next step. It's not your role to be a psychologist or counsellor. Your job is to notice, ask, listen, and connect people to the right support.
Open the conversation in a genuine, low-pressure way
"I just wanted to check in and see how you're going."
"I noticed you've seemed a bit flat lately — is everything okay?"
"Is there anything you're finding tough at the moment?"
Listen and reflect back so they feel heard
"That sounds really challenging."
"I can hear that you've been going through a lot lately."
Identify what support would help and what you can do
"Are there any work-related factors I can help address?"
"What support do you need from me?"
"Are you aware of our EAP provider Sonder? I can help connect you if useful."
Agree on next steps and check back in
"Let's set up some time to catch up again in a few days to see how things are going."
Leaders often carry increased pressure during change while simultaneously supporting others. Without managing your own energy, boundaries, and wellbeing, it becomes harder to lead effectively. Looking after yourself isn't optional — it's what sustains everything else.
During change, it helps to distinguish between what you can control, what you can influence, and what sits outside your reach. Directing your energy toward the first two — and accepting the limits of the third — reduces frustration and helps you make a bigger impact where it matters.
Focus on what you can control (your behaviour, your response) and what you can influence (your team, your immediate environment). Acknowledge what's outside your control — and let go of it.
Workplace boundaries help you maintain capacity over the long term. During change, the temptation is to extend yourself — but sustainable leadership means knowing your limits.
Be empathetic without absorbing others' distress. Debrief with a peer or your own manager after difficult conversations. Recognise when you're carrying more emotional load than is sustainable.
Protect your capacity by being deliberate about where you invest energy. Not every meeting needs your attendance, not every problem needs you to solve it. Delegate where you can and pace yourself.
Set clear expectations about your availability — when you start and finish, when you're reachable and when you're not. Modelling healthy time boundaries gives your team permission to do the same.
Taking care of your own energy and wellbeing helps you stay clear, consistent, and able to support others. When leaders model sustainable ways of working, it gives the team permission to do the same. Be intentional about stepping back, switching off where possible, and creating space to reset — even in small ways.
Evidence-based approaches to maintaining wellbeing: