The Path of Least Resistance: Understanding and Overcoming Cognitive Overload in Change Management
Revealing the secret of successful business change
Introduction
Change management often struggles with how to best get people on board with the planned change. One reason is the cognitive overload for the employees impacted. The human brain's preference for the path of least resistance significantly affects how individuals react to change. Addressing these cognitive barriers is crucial for successful change initiatives.
Understanding Cognitive Barriers
People naturally choose the path of least resistance because it's less cognitively taxing. The brain consumes about 20% of our total energy, and when faced with a new complex task, individuals might choose a simpler, familiar alternative (the work they have always been used to) to conserve energy. This tendency is not about laziness but rather an inherent efficiency mechanism.
The energy-saving aspect of the brain can explain why people often resist change. Learning a new system or process requires more cognitive effort, same as reading a complex new procedure or instruction manual. In a work environment, asking employees to take on additional cognitive load can result in resistance or poor adoption of new practices.
The Impact of Cognitive Load on Change
Cognitive load refers to the amount of mental effort required to process information and perform tasks. When employees are asked to adopt new systems or processes, and if the new task is perceived as too demanding, they are likely to revert to old habits. This is especially true in high-pressure environments where quick decisions are necessary, such as call centers or emergency services.
Strategies to Overcome Cognitive Barriers
Make It Easy
The ideal is for new systems or processes to be easier to use than what people are currently doing. They would simplify interfaces, automate repetitive tasks, and offer user-friendly tools. That’s not enough though, we also need to make the change easy to understand so to ease the transition. Many systems have explanations and suggestions in the ‘help’ section, however they are often written by a technical person and make no sense to most users.Don’t maximise Changes
The perspective of leadership and the majority of employees is different. Sometimes the actual impact on employees is smaller than the leadership and the programme team believe it to be. For example, if the change is triggered by a multi-million $ system, it is a big deal with the CIO and the company, however the change for employees is using a new HR or Finance portal, the impact is minimal. Leaders and change managers would be wise to be realistic about impacts, and consider them from the recipients’ perspective.Simplify Communication
Use clear, straightforward language when communicating changes. Avoid jargon and ensure that instructions are easy to follow. Providing visual aids, such as cheat sheets, flowcharts or videos, can also help make complex information easier to remember. Regular updates and feedback sessions can help employees feel more comfortable and less overwhelmed by the change process.
Case study
I was a recipient of an organisational change in this case, which gave me an alternative perspective. Leaders had been communicating for months that a new organisational structure was planned, it was mentioned in town-halls and emails. It raised employees expectations of a major change, and caused anxiety among some people. On the announcement day, I got a call from my manager to be told that my job would stay the same. No change. It later transpired this was the case for over 80% of the department, the rest saw a minor change in their roles and responsibilities, and nobody lost their job. Nevertheless, some people were getting worried, lost some of their motivation or performance decreased because of it.
What went wrong and why? Developing the new organisation was taking up a lot of the leadership time and effort, for them it was a big deal. They wrongly assumed it would be a major change for their teams.
The lesson for change leaders? It is not about you, be clear what the real impact is on people and set the right expectations.
Conclusion
Simplifying changes and designing processes that reduce cognitive load are essential. By understanding and addressing barriers, leaders can make change more manageable and less daunting for their teams. Emphasizing incremental changes, clear communication, and comprehensive support can significantly enhance the success of change initiatives. When employees find the new tasks less demanding and more intuitive, they are more likely to embrace change and contribute positively to the transformation process.