Four Strategies For Guiding Early Career Professionals Through Organisational Change

“Would you be able to help us in supporting one of our teams to navigate some pretty big organisational change?“

That was the request that came through from a HR manager of a large European-based global organisation recently.

During our initial conversation, it was clear that whilst some of the team were taking the uncertainty caused by the organisational change in their stride, the majority were not.

For most of the team, this was their first real encounter of change in the workplace.

There seemed to be a lot of emotional responses, catastrophising and “what iffing” and little evidence of any personal strategies to self-manage.

Reassurance from the team manager was not having the desired effect and the high performance of the team had started to take a dip.

Supporting a team of early-career professionals as they navigate change and manage their emotional responses requires a blend of empathy, structure, and proactive communication.

Change can be daunting for all of us, especially for those just starting out.

So here are four key strategies that I included in the resulting team development sessions that followed and have known can help young professionals adapt and thrive in dynamic environments.

1. Create a Safe Space for Open Communication

Early-career professionals often feel uncertain about expressing their concerns, especially to their manager or those in authority for fear of what people will think.

By having an external person facilitate open dialogue, ask encouraging questions, actively listen, and show empathy, it can create a safer space to discuss their challenges and emotions.

Normalise stressors related to change and they’re more likely to seek help when faced with them in the future. It’s also a space for those who do have their own strategies that work for them to share with others.

2. Educate on the change process

Many early-career employees don’t have experience with workplace changes, so it helps to demystify change management. Providing training on the different stages of change and normalising the emotional response can be a real light bulb moment.

Sharing some popular change management models can give team members a structured perspective on the process and help them anticipate shifts, recognise stages of change, and view change as an opportunity rather than a threat.

3. Share strategies for handling emotions

Having some strategies to navigate emotional responses is a crucial life skill, particularly in the face of change whether the change is professional or personal.

The team development session looked at emotional intelligence and regulation and some core skills to help manage emotions constructively.  Offering strategies for reframing negative thoughts to view change positively is another skill that can help.

4. Celebrate

Recognise the efforts team members put into adapting to the new situations. Celebrating small wins and milestones, even if they’re just adjustments in behaviour or mindset, reinforces positive responses to change.

When early-career employees see their efforts acknowledged, they’re more likely to feel valued, secure, and motivated to embrace future changes.

If any of this resonates and you are looking to support your early-career teams and talent (or even the not so early career teams) in managing change please get in touch. Would love to help.