Managing The Stress of Change - A helping role for peer supporters

Today, few organisations are exempt from the stress and pressures of change. In the last 10 years, an entire vocabulary of change has been created. Downsizing, re-structuring, multi-skilling, benchmarking, TQM, devolution and re-engineering are just a few of the terms which reflect the dynamics of the change process. The impact of change is highly stressful for many affected, often resulting in severe stress reactions and grieving on the part of those whose careers and work-roles are permanently altered.

It's not unusual for peer supporters in many organisations to be approached by colleagues seeking assistance to manage the stress and pressure caused by constant change.

• Peer supporters can be guided by some clear indicators of who manages the impact of change and who becomes a victim. The differences between change managers and change victims is best seen in the ways they respond to the onset of change.
• Change Managers see change as a challenge and look for opportunities.
• Change Victims as an obstacle and overwhelming problem.
• Change Managers take active steps to deal with the changes taking place.
• Change Victims passively resist and hope the problems go away.
• Change Managers form a mental picture of where they're going and how they're going to get there.
• Change Victims continually think about how things were and what the miss.
• Change Managers look for new possibilities, expansion and growth.
• Change Victims try to keep everything as it was and avoid looking ahead.
• Change Managers acknowledge any feelings of sadness, loss and anger.
• Change Victims deny their feelings or channel them into negativity.
• Change Managers actively find ways to reduce stress and keep some balance in their life.
• Change Victims become tense and experience physical problems which may include headache and nausea.
• Change Managers reach out to their support networks at home and work.
• Change Victims withdraw from people at home and work.
• Change Managers think about their personal assets and strengths.
• Change Victims think about personal deficits and make negative self assessments.