HR Grapevine – From No. 10 to your office – managing the anxiety of a new leader

Article summary - HR Grapevine - From No. 10 to your office: managing the anxiety of a new leader

A new leader arriving at the top of an organisation can create excitement, but it can also trigger uncertainty, anxiety and speculation. Employees quickly begin looking for clues about what will change, which priorities will matter and what the appointment could mean for them.

In this HR Grapevine article, contributors explore how HR can help organisations manage a leadership handover without allowing uncertainty to damage trust, morale or performance.

Using a change at Number 10 as its starting point, the article draws a parallel between political transitions and the leadership changes taking place in workplaces every week. A handover may involve one person at the top, but its impact quickly travels throughout the organisation.

Bit Famous MD Penny Haslam focuses on the people often left carrying the greatest burden: middle managers.

She describes managers as the organisation’s emotional buffer. During periods of upheaval, they are expected to reassure employees, answer difficult questions and keep work moving, while also managing pressure and expectations from above.

Without the right support, this can leave managers exposed to stress and burnout.

Penny argues that HR should use the period before a new leader arrives to check in with managers, bring them together to share concerns and strengthen their communication skills before important messages begin moving through the organisation.

She also warns against expecting managers to act as corporate mouthpieces. They need the freedom to communicate in their own voice, acknowledge when information is incomplete, and respond honestly to their teams' concerns.

As Penny points out, asking managers to communicate before they understand the message is like sending ministers out to face the media when they have only just received the memo. It is unlikely to end well.

The article is a reminder that incoming leaders may set the direction, but managers create much of the day-to-day stability, clarity and confidence employees need during a period of change.

Read the full article featuring Penny Haslam, Bit Famous, in HR Grapevine.