Supporting staff through stressful organizational change

Support from various sources inside and outside the organization helps employees cope with the stress of work. Support becomes even more necessary when the processes and outcomes of organizational change undermine staff well-being. This paper presents and explores a model of support though different phases of stressful organizational change. The findings of a qualitative study of 31 participants in a public healthcare authority in New Zealand reveal that support took various forms (emotional, instrumental, informational, and appraisal) and was sourced internally through supervisors and colleagues and externally through partners, family, and friends, at different stages of the change. However, for some participants it was either denied to them or they were reluctant to mobilize it. Implications for research and human resource development (HRD) practice focus on the provision of forms and sources of support that enhance individual well-being and the likelihood of successful change. Barriers to providing and accessing support need further exploration. HRD professionals have the insights and skills to deliver supervisory, mentorship, and peer support programmes that mitigate stressful change within the context of a supportive organizational culture.