Tips for navigating organizational change as we head into 2026
As we look back at 2025, one thing we can all agree on is that it was a year filled with change. Between the economy, geopolitical shifts, market uncertainty, and the proliferation of AI, it’s safe to say that every organization felt the effects of change this year. And as we look toward 2026, there are no signs of slowing.
All change can be difficult, but often the most difficult changes are those that are outside our realm of control. Change we implement is done on our own terms and can feel empowering. Change that happens to us, whether we like it or not, can feel threatening, which makes us more likely to resist the change.
Organizational change is, by nature, outside of most people’s control. Even organization-led change is decided by a small group of leaders, and usually not the people most affected by the change. So it’s no wonder that many organizational changes don’t succeed.
TalentSmartEQ’s 2025 State of EQ Report shows that while 90% of organizations experience change frequently or moderately often, only 41% of respondents perceived their organization’s change management as effective. If human resistance can make or break an organizational change, ignoring the human aspect of change can tank even the best-strategized initiatives. So as you look ahead to 2026 and the change it will inevitably bring to your organization, adopting a human-centric approach to change will be the key to successfully navigating it.
Why Do People Resist Change?
It’s human nature to resist change. We naturally gravitate toward things that are predictable, comfortable, and safe. Blame our biology, but the situation we are currently in will always be more appealing than any unknown situation change may bring.
But we know that not all change is bad, and in fact change often brings better, more comfortable, safer situations. So how do we reduce resistance when we know change is for the best?
This is where we have to outsmart our biology. It’s also where emotional intelligence comes in.
Rather than reacting to our initial biological resistance to change, we must learn to lean into the discomfort of the emotions the change is inducing and then determine the rational basis for each emotion. This is the foundation of the EQ skill of self-awareness, which is the ability to accurately perceive our emotions and understand our tendencies across situations.
Once we’ve made sense of our emotions, we can use that understanding to explore the best way forward, instead of letting our emotions control us. This is the EQ skill of self-management, the ability to use awareness of our emotions to stay flexible and direct our behavior positively.
What does this look like practically?
Let’s say a change in organizational structure has you anxious about losing your job. Take some time to journal about your emotions, and once you’ve made sense of them, create a plan for each potential course of action, including the worst-case scenario. This exercise alone will help you feel more prepared and in control, regardless of the outcome.
But what if you are the one driving the change or leading others through it? How can you help those around you? The answer lies in human-centric leadership.
How Does Human-Centric Leadership Impact Change?
Human-centric leadership recognizes the importance of the individuals who make up an organization and prioritizes the growth and wellbeing of those individuals. Human-centered leaders realize that organizations are human systems, and human systems work best when the individuals at every level of the system are invested in and cared for.
What does this mean for change? It means that when change affects an organization, it affects the individuals who make up the organization, and how well the organization adapts is inextricably tied to how those individuals adapt.
Human-centric leadership considers the emotions of everyone impacted by a change. No matter how strategic or well-planned organizational change is, if everyone involved is resistant to it, it can still be detrimental to the organization. This doesn’t mean the change itself is wrong–it just means the successful implementation of it must take into account the unique perspectives and emotions of all stakeholders, down to the lowest-level employees.
Leaders need the emotional intelligence skills of social awareness and relationship management to effectively navigate change from a human-centric perspective.
Social awareness is the ability to understand and empathize with the emotions of others. Before you can do anything to help your employees through change, you must first listen in order to understand how they are feeling about the change.
Once you’re aware of the emotions your employees are experiencing, you can use relationship management, the ability to use awareness of emotions to successfully manage interactions, to help your employees navigate the change. By connecting with your employees on a relational level, facing conflict head-on, and communicating clearly, you will gain the trust needed to lead others through change.
3 Ways to Help Lead Through Change
With all this in mind, here are three specific ways to successfully lead through change in your organization:
- Think human-centric
If you are faced with leading an organizational change, the first thing to do is consider every person involved in or impacted by the change. Think through how each person would react to the change from their unique perspective. For instance, if you are considering moving the office environment from hybrid to in-person, ask yourself: How will remote employees handle the change? How will managers who have both types of employees handle the change? If you can proactively address this “human factor” of change, you will embody true human-centric leadership that will mitigate the inclination toward resistance.
- Get out of the gray zone
Sometimes the “gray zone” of uncertainty is even worse than the change itself. Clear communication is like ripping off a band-aid: instead of the slow, agonizing pain of a drawn-out process, communicating openly about change on the front end allows people to pivot quickly and move on. Months of rumors about a potential merger can create unnecessary fear for employees. Immediately addressing the rumors by outlining the possible changes and a concrete timeline for decisions will calm the anxiety of the unknown. When employees are armed with information, they can get out of the gray zone and stay focused and productive until the change is made.
- Circle back
After any big change, assume that your people are struggling with it. Consider having a town hall meeting where management can answer questions., or mandate that all managers meet with their employees one-on-one to hear their thoughts and concerns. This is a time for leaders to ask questions, listen, and provide reassurance. After a few weeks go by, add another check-in to the calendar to ensure everyone is continuing to positively embrace the change. These check-ins will help reassure your employees that you care about the impact the change is having on them as individuals.
Change is inevitable, and it can have a positive impact on our lives and our organizations. But that positive impact can only come if we work to reduce the natural human resistance to change and enhance adaptability in ourselves and our employees.
If you are leading an organization through change, tap into your emotional intelligence skills of human-centric leadership to give your employees, and your organization, the best chance to embrace the change in the short term in order to reap the benefits long term.
These strategies were based off the resiliency and change management training programs at TalentSmartEQ. To learn more about corporate training programs on emotionally intelligent strategies to help with resiliency and change management, please contact us.