If you’re part of a government team, you know all too well how much change you’ve been experiencing lately. With new Ministers, MOGs, changes within departments, and and constant responsiveness to requests and external stakeholders, it feels like you’re constantly shifting and adjusting.
Add to that nearly three years of a global pandemic, varying levels of lockdowns, homeschooling, uncertainty and personal challenges… and it seems as though the whole of the public service has hit change fatigue.
Every team I work with is verging on burnout
But fear not!
There’s a solution to the change fatigue impacting government teams.
Planning days provide an opportunity to create stronger relationships and embed the ways you want to work together. They combat change fatigue by:
- Building Stronger Relationships: When people come together, they get to know each other on a more personal level. This helps build trust and stronger relationships among team members, making it easier to work together when changes occur.
- Fostering Open Communication: A team planning day creates a safe space where people can share their thoughts and feelings about the changes happening within the team. This open communication can lead to new ideas and strategies for managing change fatigue.
- Providing a Sense of Unity: When everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals, it creates a sense of unity and purpose within the team. This can boost morale and motivation, making it easier to tackle the challenges that come with change.
- Encouraging Collaborative Problem-Solving: When people come together, they bring their unique perspectives and experiences to the table. This can lead to collaborative problem-solving and creative solutions to the challenges caused by change fatigue.
A planning day goes way beyond priorities
Planning days go beyond creating a list of priorities or doing a simple ice breaker. They’re an essential tool for building a positive and productive work environment. It’s an opportunity to foster open communication, develop leadership skills, and create a culture of innovation and collaboration. Some of the key benefits of a well-run planning day are:
- Develops leadership skills and empowers people to take ownership and drive change
- Fosters open communication, trust, and collaboration, leading to better teamwork and outcomes
- Builds stronger relationships and a sense of unity among team members
- Boosts morale and motivation, creating a sense of purpose and direction for the team
- Helps to identify strengths and weaknesses within the team and create a plan of action to address them
Revitalising Your Section, Branch or Division – Resilience in the face of change
If your team is feeling the stress of constant change and pressure, and you know you need to build resilience, planning days are a great way forward. Combat change fatigue, boost morale, and foster collaboration, by going beyond simply listing priorities. Create stronger relationships, provide a safe space for open communication, encourage creative problem-solving, develop leadership skills, and identify team strengths and weaknesses. Empower your team to take ownership and responsibility for influencing actions. Let’s revitalise your team and bring back the energy with an effective planning day!