Change fatigue, change process and change communication

December 4, 2025|Accountants, Kim's Blog, Lawyers, Management Skills, Property, Strategy|

At the recent PM Forum workshop on “Supporting change management”, three quarters of the delegates were from law firms and a quarter from property firms. (Perhaps as a result of PM Forum’s recent acquisition of the Profile Property Marketing Network). Two of those present had previously worked in accountancy firms so that sector was represented too. It was an intense half day session looking at: change challenges, individual change, organisational change and change management models, tools and skills. Three key themes emerged from the delegates: Change fatigue, change process and change communication (Change Management)

Change fatigue

We examined the evidence that three quarters of all change programmes were unsuccessful. This figure has remained consistent since 1996.

An article in February 2025 (Change fatigue ‘among top barriers’ to HR and communication success in 2025 – HRreview | HR News, Opinion & Advice) indicated that change fatigue is the second biggest barrier to success in 2025 – the first time it appeared in the rankings.

Change fatigue is: “the sense of frustration, apathy and resistance that can arise among employees subjected to frequent, ongoing changes in organisational structures and processes”

Advice to avoid change fatigue includes:

Clear and consistent leadership communication – what and why it is changing and how it connects to the business goals (39% of respondents in this study also cite a lack of direction from senior leadership as a major obstacle)
Prioritisation and pacing – not all change needs to happen at once so sequence initiatives to avoid overwhelm
Build change resilience – equip managers with the skills to coach their teams through uncertainty and provide employees with the resources to adapt

Delegates commented on the impact of multiple restructures within a short timeframe – in some cases leading to people starting to leave. Other mentioned people feeling traumatised by the constant uncertainty and change.

In 2020, Gartner (Change fatigue is rising; first tackle small everyday changes) analyzed data from more than 4,000 employees across levels, regions and geographies and found that two differentiators enable employees to better absorb change:

Trust: The extent to which employees believe that key stakeholders (leaders, managers, coworkers and HR) have their interests in mind, and do what they have promised to do. Employees who report high trust have an average capacity for change that is 2.6 times greater than those with low trust

Team cohesion: The extent to which teams share a sense of belonging and connection, along with commitment to, and accountability for, a common goal. Employees with strong team cohesion have a capacity for change 1.8 times greater than the capacity of those with low team cohesion.

Change process

Delegates felt that the effectiveness of change management programmes is impacted by:

Company culture and mindset (particularly with regards to technology)
Size of firm (change programmes are different in global firms compared to small, local firms)
Nature and scale of the change (adaptive, transitional or transformational)
Sudden change – so there is a lack of consultation and an inadequate understanding of the impact on roles (no systemic thinking)
Generational differences (and length of service of leaders and staff)
Cohesion and consensus amongst the leadership team
Different levels of investment in the change
Extent to which data and evidence has created a persuasive picture of why change is needed
Past experience of major change programmes
Expectations of instant change
Extent of hybrid working and strength of social connections and trust
Inadequate change processes and experience
Failure to consult and communicate

We considered a variety of change models. Surprisingly, there was more support for the Rosabeth Moss Kantor approach than the Kotter one (both originated at Harvard Business School).

We also considered a plethora of change management processes and tools. From change management roadmaps, to PROSCI and ADKAR and on to BCG’s Change Delta tool to plan organisational change.

As any proposed change can imply a criticism of past decisions (thus evoking a threat response and resistance), a process that focuses on the bright spots and best practice can bring a more positive spin on change. And this can reduce the fear and uncertainty that occurs alongside many change programmes.

We also considered the nine (ten?) competencies for effective leadership through change. And the fundamentals of behavioural insights which led us naturally into change communication.

Change communication

There was much discussion about change communications. Not least as a quarter of the delegates were in specialist communications roles. We considered how effective communication – amongst different stakeholder groups and with different communication channels (especially the impact of face-to-face communication) – can best be achieved.

We explored the difference between internal and change communications

Internal communications – Builds connection, alignment and culture. It keeps employees informed, engaged and anchored in the organisation’s day-to-day

Change communications – Helps people transition from old ways of thinking and working to new ones. It helps people process change and choose to move with it. Everything here is connected to the change strategy.

A good resource for internal communications: Book review: Influential Internal Communication by Jenni Field. I don’t have a recommendation for books on change communications (yet) but Kotter has a book on “Leading Change” and there is a book on “Communicating Change” by TJ Larkin and Sandar Larkin that may be worth exploring

As MBD professionals, we are adept at being client-centric and always consider what clients might feel and need. We can use this ability to consider how those affected internally by the change might feel and need – and adapt communications accordingly. We recognised the huge role of emotions in the change communication programme and processes.

We considered the importance of leaders and change catalysts being authentic about their emotions – whether to be honest and show when we are feeling frustrated or to always provide a positive “game face”. The value of leaders being exemplar role models of the desired change was

Time was spent considering how to identify and manage resistance. This was part of the stakeholder mapping and engagement programme. We looked at Greg Satell’s reasons for resistance. And also strategies for engaging people in organisational change (e.g. the Change Response Circumplex Scale (Oreg, Sverdilk & colleagues, 2024).

There was also some discussion of the need for risk management and the development of a crisis communication plan – just in case.

About the delegates

It was a joy to work with an incredibly talented and diverse group of professional services marketers.

Whilst some were spread across a range of disciplines, some were focused on specific areas e.g.

Medical Negligence
Public law
Private wealth
Financial Services and Private Equity.
Town Planning (in property)

Likewise, whilst some were pure-play marketing and business development professionals, others had specialist PR, communications and bids roles.

Their recent professional and personal change experience included:

Recently gone through a restructure in BD & Marketing and continue to manage this change and the direction of the business unit
Sole marketer with a major focus on stakeholder management and influencing change across their organisation
Acted in a team leader role whilst we were without a director for six months – shifted my perception internally to more of a “trusted advisor” role for the partnership
I was in charge of change management at one of the firms of accountants that I have worked for. I implemented a new practice management system and outsourced accounts prep. It was tough
Developed a strategy for a new core area of work by creating a specialist team and driving this through to execution
Helped move from a BD to a more sales-focussed culture
Changed internal communications approach regarding leadership communications
Retrained into a different profession during Covid
Become much more organised in the way I work

Their aims and key questions included:

Feels like we are in constant change mode (economy, technology, global shocks etc) so would be great to understand different approaches
Keen to encourage client partners to act on client insights, be client centric and identify ways to build and strengthen relationships rather than be reactive
Hope to gain more confidence in the change management part of my role and become more effective
Embarking on a brand review which will be, when completed, a change achieved in my firm (please check out some rebrand case studies: Marketing and Business Development (MBD) accountancy firm case studies)
Get better at handling change and leading my team through change
The role of MBD in change management
Engage and support people through change
Manage those who are resistant to change
Gain more change management skills
Undergoing an internal change in creating a new team

Delegate key takeaways

The key takeaways and actions from the delegates – and some references to elaborate on the points raised

Communication

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
There are models to follow to get buy-in
Create a positive environment – consistency is crucial
Repeated communication is key, engage with individuals
The difference between internal comms and change management comms Book review: Influential Internal Communication by Jenni Field
Communication – listening more than talking You’re not listening – What you’re missing, Internal Communications – Employee listening – Kim Tasso and Animal magic of buy-in and stakeholder engagement (Video)

Purpose

The importance of clear purpose, vision and strategy in a fatigued environment
1-2-1 communication – Ensure purpose is understood leadership in property – leading a surveyors’ practice and 30th PM Forum Conference – Beyond Boundaries

Leadership

Magpie and pigeon concept Leadership teams: Maverick Magpies and Predictable Pigeons and Negotiating skills – Balancing task and relationship

Facilitate

Facilitation skills and the power of the workshop How to facilitate groups – Guidance for those organising and facilitating, How to facilitate groups – 2 (Herding cats in professional services) and Consulting Skills – The power of workshops – Kim Tasso

Change process

Change catalyst = outcome focus. Project managers = process focus Change management – Change Catalyst book review by Kim Tasso
Train by stealth to get buy in Achieve more engagement and buy-in and Beating Six Barriers to KAM and Training (Kim Tasso)

Delegate actions

Communication

Increase the use of 1-2-1s with people in the business
Improve change communications
Maintain constant communication
Create a positive change experience for stakeholders emotional intelligence and teams in change management

Emotions

Expand learning on psychology and individual change
Focus even more on emotions – identify the issues
Consider what “ending” people/firms are going through before they’re likely to change Change process – Emotions when reacting to change and Your personal transition – Endings, neutral zone and new beginnings

Stakeholders

Expand learning on persuasion and storytelling in change management context
Segment stakeholders
Prepare a stakeholder management plan / matrix – do rather than assume
Spend more time assessing “the resistors” Change challenges – Culture, Communications and Clutter

Process