The hidden, human costs
of change
When you’re steering a large organisation, there's really only one universal truth: change is inevitable. From the rapid rise of generative AI to the urgent need for workforce reskilling, leaders face a volatile environment where transformation is constant – and fatigue is growing.
The challenge ahead is substantial. The World Economic Forum predicts that one billion professionals will require reskilling by 2030, driven by technological disruption, sustainability goals, and digital transformation.
Yet, the promise of AI doesn’t automatically guarantee better performance or employee wellbeing. In fact, frequent AI users report higher burnout levels than those who never use it, according to Quantum Workplace. And it’s not just employees – executives are feeling the strain too.
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The balance between urgency
and strategy
Economic uncertainty has pushed many organisations to accelerate transformation, because we're all scared to be left behind – leaving little time to test and embed change effectively.
Particularly the Covid-years have taught us to see opportunity in crisis. But urgency without strategy risks alienating the very talent needed to deliver results. Charlotte Talmage, CEO of Uuna caution against reactive change:
“Transformation can’t be just about urgent fire drills. Aligning on purpose, clear priorities, and co-creation helps turn fatigue into momentum. It builds movement, not just task lists.”
Your competitive advantage:
People
While technology will enable progress, leadership, your people and recruitment will determine success. Because the real cost of change cannot only be measured in productivity, change management theories and great ideas – it’s reflected in human energy, engagement, and trust.
By now, we know that the key to transformation, is a culture of continuous learning and unlearning. But this goes beyond training programmes. It requires psychological safety, permission to experiment, and measures which reward capability-building.
“If there’s a fear of failure, rigid hierarchies, or siloed thinking, then learning becomes nearly impossible,” says Lou Robey, Founder of #Voice4Impact and Advisory Board Member at Uuna.
However, it is absolutely crucial to note that learning does not equal adding more to already packed jobs. If your people are overwhelmed, they won't be able – or willing – to absorb new knowledge.
Alicja Malok, Senior Director of Technology in Hays Poland, notes: “People can be stubborn when it comes to using AI. Convincing them to use it for basic daily duties is difficult. You need to ask yourself if you’re forcing them to use it, or actively encouraging them to reskill alongside it”
Well-being as a business metric
Change doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Education systems rarely prepare us for lifelong learning, so resistance is common. To counter resistance, measuring well-being during transformation is critical.
Robey recommends pulse surveys, focus groups, and one-to-one check-ins to monitor stress levels, workload concerns and confidence in change initiatives.
Standing still is risky, but unmanaged change breeds resistance. The most successful leaders connect strategy to people, embed learning into daily workflows, and treat well-being as a KPI.
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