Survey Finds Workers Saying Their Organizations Struggle with Change Management

A new survey finds that employee attitudes toward change vary by generation, but workers of all ages seem to agree that many organizations struggle to manage through significant changes.

In a recent poll of more than 1,440 employed U.S. adults, Eagle Hill Consulting found just 25% of respondents saying their organization effectively manages major changes across the workforce.

This figure suggests that workers of all ages tend to agree that employers aren’t excelling at change management. “But beneath this shared concern lie stark generational divides,” according to Eagle Hill, in terms of how employees perceive and experience workplace transformation.

For example, the survey found Gen Z-age workers to be the most optimistic workforce cohort, with 70% of respondents in this age group saying process changes made their organization better. Just 36% of Gen Xers and 45% of Baby Boomers said the same.

Gen X employees appear to be the most skeptical about change, with just 3% saying that recent return-to-office mandates improved their organizations. Older generations also reported feeling less supported as their organization undergoes transformation. Just 18% of Boomers and 20% of Gen Xers said their employers make change easy to embrace.

Across all age cohorts, respondents identified understanding the reason for changes and effective communication as the two most important drivers of change acceptance.

The survey report also detailed a number of steps for leaders to take to help employees get on board with workplace change. For example, the report suggested “turning Gen Z’s optimism into cross-generational influence, meaningfully engaging more experienced workers who may feel skeptical or fatigued by repeated change efforts, and empowering managers to act as the essential bridge between generational needs.”

The results underscore the reality that “a one-size-fits-all approach to change management is no longer sufficient,” said Melissa Jezior, president and chief executive officer of Eagle Hill Consulting, in a statement.

“To make change stick, leaders need to manage organizational change as a multi-generational experience, anchored in a shared purpose and tied to the different motivations, needs, and expectations that each generation brings to work.

“Smart leaders will use this research as a roadmap,” Jezior concluded. “The organizations that succeed will be those that anchor employees in a shared purpose, tailoring the support, communication and engagement strategies to meet people where they are.”