There’s nothing new about managing change. But the pace, complexity, and consequences of change are evolving in today’s workplace.  

Most organizations aren’t just managing change; they’re navigating major transformations to keep up with mergers, reorgs, new tech, retiring execs, and global instability. 

According to Gartner, half of all major change initiatives fail, and only 34% are considered a clear success. 

And it’s not just the logistics that get tricky—it’s the people part. 

We recently hosted an AMA (Ask Me Anything) with two of our in-house experts: Anne Maltese, VP of People Insights, and Rachel Hudson, Senior Insights Analyst.  

They pulled back the curtain on what it really takes to lead through change and how to build belief, not just compliance. 

Here’s what we learned: 

📺 Want to watch the full recording? Click here! >> 

What are effective ways to gather employee input during times of disruption? 

Many organizations hesitate to launch engagement surveys or gather feedback in the middle of a change. But that’s when listening matters most. 

“We would actually encourage organizations to go through with that survey because it generates such important insights and intelligence that can help navigate through change,” said Anne.  

She emphasized that feedback is intelligence, not just a performance metric. By collecting open-ended responses and asking targeted questions about how employees are experiencing change, you can uncover actionable insights before challenges become barriers. 

Pulse surveys are especially useful throughout a change timeline: 

Before the change: Are employees clear on what’s happening and why? 

During the change: Where are the pain points coming up? 

After the change: Is there renewed confidence in the future? 

“The timing of communication affects how employees perceive the change overall,” noted Rachel. “It also affects their own engagement and their desire to remain at their current organization.” 

How do you collect feedback during change without creating confusion or slowing momentum? 

Some leaders worry that gathering input mid-change will stir anxiety or slow things down. But the experts argued that not listening creates bigger issues. 

“Change is an opportunity for us to recenter our values, our purpose,” said Rachel. “It’s a chance for us to navigate through uncertainty by relying on some of those elements of our culture.” 

She shared a story about a public accounting firm undergoing rapid M&A growth. Rather than delay listening efforts, the company created an M&A pulse framework: short surveys on day 1, day 30, day 60, and day 90 for new employees. It revealed gaps in support, surfaced cultural mismatches, and helped refine onboarding processes across future acquisitions. 

“It does not take those employees very long to complete those short pulse surveys, but it’s become an invaluable tool for leaders,” said Rachel. 

What's the best way to get managers bought into change—especially if past efforts have failed?

No change initiative can succeed without managers. But they’re often overwhelmed, skeptical, or burned out from previous changes that didn’t go well. 

“The manager’s job is hard and it’s probably harder than it ever has been,” said Anne. “Have empathy around that—because when we roll out change, it feels like there’s one more thing being added to their plate.”

That means: 

• Acknowledging the emotional toll of change 

• Explaining not just what’s changing, but why 

• Helping managers connect the dots for their teams 

• Equipping them with talking points, tools, and support 
  

“Create belief so managers are bought in and excited about where they may go, even though it is probably going to impact their team and disrupt it. And then, equip them with the tools to succeed through it,” said Anne. 

Rachel added that listening to managers early in the process can surface friction before it spreads. In one example, a firm saw that belief in the change dropped sharply between executives and mid-level leaders. That insight helped them focus their communication and coaching on where it was most needed. 

🔍 Read more about how to redirect disruption into belief and positive momentum in our 2025 HR Trends Report >> 

How do you create clarity and belief around change?

Even when the change is strategic, it can feel personal. And when people don’t understand what’s happening or how it affects them, they fill in the blanks with fear or skepticism. That's why it's critical to pivot disruption into belief.

“If everything around us is changing so quickly, is the way that we operate as a team keeping up with that?” Anne asked. 

Building belief starts with clear communication, specifically a few key questions: 

• Why is this change happening? 

• Why now? 

• How does this impact me? 

• What support is available? 

When employees understand the reason for change and their role in it, they’re far more likely to move through it with resilience, not resistance. 

What's the biggest barrier to successful change? 

“We have to listen to our employees to understand if they’re truly bought into the change or not,” said Rachel, “We’ve got to continue listening to understand what their challenges are.” 

Creating an open, two-way feedback loop is the key to navigating change and creating belief. Here’s how to make that happen: 

✔️ Acknowledge feedback and thank employees for sharing 
✔️ Act on what you hear—or explain why you’re not 
✔️ Share what’s changing and how feedback influenced decisions 
✔️ Repeat the cycle to build long-term trust 

Final Advice? 

“We have to get comfortable with not having a GPS for navigating change, but rather having a well-thought-out vision, confidence, and a plan along the way that’s agile,” said Anne. 

Don’t wait for the perfect plan. Instead, start where you are and listen, provide clarity, and believe in it. 

And above all, believe in your people’s ability to navigate what’s next with the right support behind them. 

Want to go deeper?

📈 Explore the 2025 Workplace Trends Report >> 

💡Check out our pulse survey software >>

💬 See how our Feedback tool works >>

📺 Watch the full AMA ⬇️