New requirements for the psychosocial work environment: Why dialogue matters more than ever
Eirin Eriksen Horvei
October 14, 2026
Before or during a change process, people tend to plan the business aspects of the change, but the human aspect is often given lower priority. This can lead to consequences such as increased resistance and less goodwill. So how can you achieve success with people-oriented change management?
The fear of losing the old and the fear of the new both influence our individual experience. The uncertainty and insecurity that come with change can create stress and resistance, and on an emotional level we may not be quite ourselves. Resistance is a natural process during change, but it can often feel unconstructive. Employees' reactions and degree of resistance will vary, but whatever the change, there will always be some who are affected more than others. This must be taken into account in order to practise good change management.
The brain loves routines. Routines mean that the thousands of decisions we make every day are made quickly and smoothly. We use so-called “shortcuts” to reach a decision, and we do this within milliseconds. In return, the brain uses less energy on thinking, and we have energy left over for other things, such as regulating emotions and feelings. A change will cause trouble for our thinking, and we use more energy to make a decision. This comes at the expense of our feelings, and we will experience a greater degree of irritation and exhaustion.
Put yourself in your employees' shoes and make use of the information. It can be wise to try to picture how the change will alter each person's work situation. That way, you can try to identify different reactions and who will be most affected by the coming shift. With this as a starting point, it is also easier to adapt how you follow up your employees.
Dialogue is important! Good communication and frequent sharing of information are among the best tools a manager has. Even so, managers have often been seen to withdraw and avoid the subject. This is often because the manager wants to get control of the situation before facing their employees. For an employee, this can feel even more stressful, and the uncertainty can be reinforced. Managers should therefore rather increase dialogue and share what they know, even if they know little themselves. This will create a sense of community where employees also feel important, which will create security and trust for each individual.
A good change process is difficult to achieve unless you have employees who are motivated for the change. For motivation to arise, everyone in the organisation must understand that the changes being made are necessary, and why they are necessary. Predictability is also a basic need here. Participation and involvement in the process will help build both understanding and predictability among employees, and they will be able to experience mastery in the sense that they themselves are helping to implement the change. For employees to perform as well as possible, expectations must also be set for each person, especially regarding responsibilities and tasks. This will ensure a good understanding of reality, and your employees can more easily find their place in the new work situation.
In an uncertain situation, perhaps with shorter fuses than usual, it is not unusual for various problems to arise. Good change management increases the likelihood of active involvement and good problem-solving, as well as the chances of creating positive dialogue and understanding in the workplace. Different points of view must be able to be expressed openly without anyone being blamed or made a scapegoat. A problem can also become an opportunity as long as you treat the problem as “something” and not “someone”. That way, you map out the underlying causes – and perhaps the problem stemmed from something that can be used in a future strategy?
A working environment that stimulates the development of employees in line with the organisation will have good prerequisites for a successful change process!
Author: Malin Elisabet Lilletvedt, Organisational Adviser at Motivati.
