What Employees Complain About Is What They Want

by William T Batten

This doesn’t apply to every complaint they have. But there’s one area of the organisation where the more they complain about something, the more they need it.

And the more they want it.

I’ve seen this up close far too often and I bet you have to.

What am I talking about?

Why, I’m talking about change, of course.

People complain about there being too much change, too fast. When they do, though, they’re usually dissatisfied with the status quo. They want change and they need it.

But that’s not to say they’re crazy.

Or their complaints are without merit.

An appetite for change is like an appetite for food. If a healthy person’s appetite suddenly vanishes, that’s a symptom of a bigger problem. It’s the same with organisations.

Sure, there are always going to be a few folk who resist change at every turn. You’ll never eliminate that problem. But they should be a tiny minority – small enough they get swept along with the change anyway.

If more than a handful of folk say they’re sick of change, then you can look forward to this:

The next time you announce some initiative to take advantage of an opportunity – maybe even save the company – you hit a wall of cynicism.

People groan and complain about having to change yet again.

Many employees resist (and even sabotage) the new order.

A few even leave.

The initiative limps over the finish line, exhausting everyone involved in delivering it. You might as well have not bothered, since it fails to make any real, lasting impact.

Your only hope is to wait for a few powerful cynics to move on, hoping you can try again with the next generation.

Sound familiar?

If not, oh how I envy you…

But let’s assume these are true – that your employees want change and the louder they complain, the more they need it.

Where does that leave you?

It leaves you with a sign that your organisation struggles with change.

If you want to adapt to future opportunities and threats, then you need to look into this. How can you learn to create organisational change, without it feeling like you’re at war with your employees?

Like everything else, it comes down to trust.

If your employees trust your leaders, then they’ll follow where they lead.

If they think they’re self-serving or incompetent, though?

Forget about it.

Change becomes a hassle, not a chance to grow.