Change doesn’t break organizations… but poor communication can.
And poor communication is almost always a boundary issue in disguise. Boundaries create the structure for clarity — around what’s changing, what’s not, and how much employees are expected to absorb at once. Without those guardrails, chaos fills the space where clarity should live.
One of my many jobs between graduate school and figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up was working in a mortgage software support call center. Fortunately, it was a safe environment for someone who can’t control their facial expressions. Unfortunately, our KPIs focused less on whether we actually helped the loan officers who called in and more on how many calls we took and how many tickets we closed. (Note: “Closed” does not mean “Solved”)
We could go on Do Not Disturb at any time for a potty break, but when we were at our desks, management expected us to be “available” and ready for calls.
It wasn’t too bad. We had about 20 seconds between calls to make our notes, close out our tickets, and take a deep breath before the phone rang again.
Until we didn’t.
One day, the powers that be mysteriously changed the rest interval to eight seconds. No memo. No heads up. Just rapid-fire calls that left no time to breathe.
A few days into our new (hellish) reality, I was nominated to speak to our boss.
“Are they trying to kill us?” I asked, half joking… half not.
“Not at all. I’ve asked to hire more agents to take the load off the team. There’s too much downtime right now to justify it, so I changed the rest interval to show how overloaded we are.”
I felt like Adam Sandler in The Wedding Singer as I choked back a, “That would’ve been good information to know YESTERDAY!”
Looking back, that moment was more than a communication breakdown — it was a boundary breakdown. There was no limit set around what was sustainable for the team, and no expectation that leadership would communicate before changing the rules. Boundaries in leadership aren’t about being rigid; they’re about creating predictable, respectful systems where people can do their best work without constant whiplash.
Communicate the Why
Communication is a boundary. It defines what information is shared, when, and how. Without it, leaders accidentally cross lines that erode trust.
Since they didn’t give us a clear explanation as to why the change was made, my coworkers and I made up our own reasons:
- Management didn’t value our well-being and didn’t care if they burned us out.
- We weren’t working hard enough and weren’t meeting the expectations required to keep our jobs.
- They wanted to save money and figured that if we all quit, they could outsource our department overseas.
As a leader, when you don’t clearly explain why changes are happening, your employees will fill in the blanks with their own fear, insecurity, and resentment.
Rather than put your employees in a precarious position, assuming the worst of you and themselves, start with the Why.
As Heraclitus said, “The only constant in life is change.”
If your employees are struggling to adapt, the problem isn’t that your employees can’t handle change. It’s that you haven’t given them a reason to accept it.
Sheryl, I shouldn’t have to explain myself to my employees.
Sure. Maybe that worked in the 1920s, but in the 2020s, there are five generations (and depending on definitions, six) in the workforce… and half of them aren’t willing to follow blindly and accept whatever is being fed to them.
One might even say that change will be better embraced when your employees have a say in the decision… but that’s for a future conversation.
Steps to Communicate Change
In order to properly communicate change, you need to get crystal clear on Why it’s happening. This clarity must occur before the decision is finalized. If you don’t have a really good reason for making the change… you can’t expect that anyone will buy into it.
Once you know why you’re doing what you’re doing (and that it’s not just on a whim), it’s time to communicate the change to your employees.
- Tell them why. Boundaries give people a sense of safety. When employees know why something’s happening, they can trust the intention instead of assuming the worst. If our boss had notified us to the change before it happened, we would’ve understood that she was trying to help us, not break us. Often, change is implemented to support employees. But if you don’t tell them that, they won’t get there on their own.
- Be honest about the impact. If you try to sugarcoat problems or oversell solutions, you’ll just come off as insincere and untrustworthy. If the organization is facing challenges, be honest. When you show vulnerability, your employees will be less likely to jump ship and more likely to put all hands on deck.
- Acknowledge that they may be feeling some uncertainty. Change can be scary, especially if it potentially threatens your job and well-being. Boundaries create room for emotion. They remind people it’s okay to feel uncomfortable without being dismissed.
- Communicate what will stay the same. Employees need to understand that all familiarity will not be lost.
- Provide a timeline and set expectations early on if this will be a gradual transition. That way, it’s not a surprise every time something new appears.
- Choose the best method and messenger. While senior leaders should address company-wide changes, employees need to hear from their direct leaders about how those changes will affect them. And, choose the method that best suits the news. Leaders shouldn’t announce big changes through email: they require a live conversation.
- Listen to your employees. As the frontline of your organization, your employees need a way to communicate what’s working and what isn’t, make suggestions, and sometimes just share their concerns. Listen to them and whenever possible, act on their feedback.
Most importantly… stay calm. While you may not have made the decision or created the change, you do have to communicate it on behalf of the company. If you approach your team in a panic, you can bet they’ll follow suit. Stay calm but be honest. Employees want to know they are in good hands… even when the world is crashing down around them.
Conclusion
Change is going to happen. In fact, an organization that never changes will die out. When you communicate openly, explain the reasoning behind changes, and convey the impact (both good and bad) they’ll have on your people, they’ll be much more likely to accept, embrace, and even champion them.
Clear communication is a boundary in action — it protects trust, reduces chaos, and gives people something solid to stand on when everything else feels uncertain.
If you’re ready to build a workplace where leaders communicate and connect, learn more about The Boundaried Workplace™ and how it can help your team thrive.
