08.05.2025 | Articles, SAVALnews
The responses from the ASIA survey (conducted in April 2025) highlight the various ways in which change negotiations impact both individual employees and the organization as a whole. Once the negotiations conclude, the real challenge begins, bringing a series of changes to everyday work life.
"Change always requires adaptation. They take energy and strength," says Occupational Health Psychologist Heli Hannonen from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (TTL).
Change negotiations can instill fear of staff reductions unless it is explicitly stated that there are no redundancy targets. “The challenge with change negotiations is that they can last for weeks or even months before any decisions are made. The prolonged uncertainty is burdensome when there is nothing concrete to adjust to.”
In the midst of uncertainty, Hannonen encourages people to take care of their own recovery and the reasonableness of the amount of work. “Make sure to have enough free time. Engage in activities that bring you joy and replenish your energy.
During the change negotiations Hannonen encourages you to focus on what you can influence and accept what you cannot. Shifting your perspective in this way can help you navigate uncertainty more effectively. “If there are changes beyond your control, it’s a waste of energy to dwell on them. When change negotiations are managed well, people are given opportunities to make a difference. There may be a chance to participate in groups preparing for the changes — it’s worth getting involved.”
Change negotiations have a strong impact on work communities. The workday following the conclusion of the negotiations for change mentioned sadness, confusion, uncertainty, frustration, and relief as the main emotional states in the responses to the questionnaire commissioned by the ASIA for its members.
Enormous anger.
Anger at the end of 16 years of working in a company where I was constantly flexible.
Confused and searching for answers.
I heard about my dismissal on May Day this afternoon at Teams. The May Day party went with tears and in an unreal state.
Many survey responses expressed relief at retaining one's job, but also grief for those who were let go. The sense of security was felt by many.
Good workers had to leave, and hardly anyone knew how to arrange the work with the ones who stayed.
The role of the supervisor is emphasized
During change negotiations, employee turnover increases. Those who can easily find employment elsewhere may choose to switch jobs.
The role of direct supervisor during a crisis caused by change negotiations is significant. "It is essential that the supervisor is available, even if they are under pressure to attend meetings here and there. If there is always ‘a red light’ at the door, it discourages conversation. The supervisor must ensure that there is enough time for discussions in the meetings,” says Hannonen.
Heli Hannonen, Occupational Health Psychologist at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (TTL), trains occupational health professionals and workplace representatives on psychosocial stress and resource factors. "A key aspect in change negotiations is that support is actively and repeatedly provided at the workplace and by occupational health services. Both those who are dismissed and those who remain at the workplace need support," she says.
It is the supervisor's role to provide opportunities for conversation and to ask how people are doing, how they are managing, and what kind of support they need. It’s also important to focus the conversation on things that are going well.
Even if the supervisor is overstrained, it is important that they behave professionally and kindly. “The supervisor should seek support for their own well-being as well. It’s a good idea to talk to peers or seek support from HR. A supervisor’s role in times of change is extremely demanding and stressful.”
Once the change negotiations are completed, many people's workdays will look very different than before. Many survey responses highlighted chaos and ambiguity in the division of labor.
It felt like there was a war going on and now we're in the ruins of a working community trying to rebuild something.
Uncontrolled change led to confusion and resistance to change. Harshness and a non-managed work community took the work effect for several months.
Sharing tasks took a lot of time. The overall responsibilities of departing employees was not under anyone's control. Things stayed in the "clearing room" when there was no suitable expert or doer left in the house.
Roles, teams, and supervisors changed, and in the beginning, everyone felt a bit lost. Previous plans were forgotten, and meetings were cancelled. New routines had to be established, and people had to adjust to them.
We lost some key experts, and the workload certainly did not decrease accordingly.
The departing employee takes with them a great deal of tacit knowledge related to their work duties — sometimes even all of it. Transferring this knowledge to the person taking over the task takes time, which can hinder operational development.
"The total number of tasks assigned to the remaining employees may become fragmented, and the workload could increase. Some may have to take on new duties with little prior experience. While some are relieved that their own work will continue, others are saddened by the departure of coworkers. These complex emotions often collide in one's mind.,” Hannonen sums up.
At the same time, you should be able to make a profit.
The sale was under intense pressure to make a trade.
The opportunities for a departing employee to move forward in their situation are influenced by the culture and psychological atmosphere of the work community.
It is difficult for people to cope with grief in the workplace. There’s often a belief that the workplace should be so professional that there’s no room for emotion, but that’s not the case. For many, work is the second most cherished thing after family and friends. When it is abruptly taken away, it causes trauma for all parties involved — both those who leave and those who stay.
In creating a respectful conversational culture, the supervisor plays an important role. The fact that the end of work is indicated by a one-sided message is reasonably harsh for the individual. If it comes as a surprise to a person that they are being dismissed, they may not be able to say anything at all in that situation. There must be an opportunity to discuss later on,” Hannonen says.
Dismissal discussions should always take place in person. Hannonen encourages us to prepare in advance for the different ways people may react to dismissal.
"The key is whether you will succeed in conveying compassion and empathy."
Many of the ASIA’s survey responses highlighted the impact of change negotiations on motivation.
Motivation decreased because the same work had to be done with a smaller group of people. The reorganization of work led to a lack of motivation in some people, as the workload increased significantly.
Motivation was low for about a year. Just when you were starting to feel good again, new change negotiations began.
Trust in the employer and supervisors will fall, regardless of how the dismissal is handled. The big challenge for management after the change negotiations is to try to restore the employees' trust and motivation.
Based on the survey responses, the most typical thing was that the departing employees were not specifically acknowledged (40%) or that they only had personal conversations with their own supervisors (33%). Sometimes a shared event (10%) was held for the departing employees. Or in some cases, for example, the one who was leaving arranged an event somewhere else than in the work premises.
The departures were quick and surprising. The staff were not informed about who would be leaving, instead everyone just had to follow Teams' absence messages for about a week to see who stayed and who left.
The team was not informed in any way about the changes. A new organizational chart was just put on the table.
All the people who left just disappeared without any explanation, which was quite confusing.
Sometimes you don't even know who's been laid off. You just realize it after some time e.g. when a colleague responsible for the matter is no longer available.
Occasionally, we said together a goodbye to those who were leaving.
People and situations are different. Sometimes a going-away party was organized together with the old team. One person left without saying anything. I guess that everyone leaving had some kind of exit interview.
Based on the survey results, some employee dismissals were considered vulnerable. As an example: A name list of people staying can be found on the intranet. Or when someone is given the impression that competency or stake doesn't matter, the only thing that matters is the wage cost in Excel.
You need to explain to me why this is happening.
If you don't show compassion and don't highlight the significance of your work.
I personally felt bad that I had to work for four months. It's mentally pretty tough.
Although supervisors and leaders sometimes have to make difficult decisions, it can also be done in a humane way, with respect for the other person: By thanking the person for the contribution and accomplishments. By telling the person that this is not their fault but because of the organizational change, your mission will end.
Text: Iida Ylinen Photos: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and Adobe Stock
The sentences marked with italics are the responses received from the survey conducted by ASIA in April 2025.
This text is part of the article that has been published on ASIA membership magazine 2/2025.