Why Change Fails: Seven Essential Practices To Avoid The Crash

I’m not sure about your experience lately with workplace change, but most of my clients and peers share unrelenting disruptions. My colleague, a lead project manager in pharma, describes top-down organizational restructuring as the only constant. She is currently closing her 12th unit, opening a new one, finalizing the budget for a global initiative and hiring eleven researchers, all while covering for her manager who shifted careers.

Interestingly, almost 50% to 80% of workplace change initiatives fail, often before they get off the ground. Conflicting priorities can eclipse any strategic alignment, and pausing to dig a bit deeper may help you remove avoidable blocks that lead to failure to launch. Here are seven key reasons that cause workplace change to stumble and what you can do about it.

1. Misalignment: The Disconnect That Dooms Change

We often think that a structured approach to change would bring clarity, but what happens when we miss the human element? Change initiatives stall, not just because of flawed processes but because we fail to engage the very people who need to execute the change. It's easy to fall into the trap of believing that following a proven methodology will guarantee success. Yet, without involving people at every level, those processes become inconsistent. The result? Misalignment. The disconnect between leaders and employees is a missed opportunity when alignment is an afterthought or seen as a one-time retreat. Change does not fail in the boardroom—it fails in daily moments when employees feel left out or alarmed.

2. Missed Communication: The Silent Killer

In the absence of information, people tend to fill the gaps for themselves—what they fill it with is driven by fear, suspicion and worst-case scenarios. NASA's recent research informs us about the danger of acting on too little information. Decisions made in a vacuum often lead to disaster. The same is true in workplace change. When we react without clear communication, employees create their own narratives. It isn't just a gap in information sharing; it's a lost opportunity to build a culture of transparency and trust. The antidote? Clear and honest conversations led by employees who are committed to the change effort. People-centered leaders understand the value of collaboration. They create a shared vision fueled by people and design the right narratives for people to collaborate during change.

3. Superficial Compliance: Agreement Isn’t Buy-In

It’s one thing to get people to nod along in meetings; it’s another to get them on board. Superficial compliance is a dangerous saboteur of innovation. Leaders often mistake agreement for alignment, while in reality, most people play along to avoid conflict or career suicide. Silence does not imply a genuine commitment to change. We can simply go through the motions with no interest in the change or, worse, with an unconscious desire to derail the most well-planned initiatives. The solution? Encourage different points of view. Make space for difficult conversations to happen. Real change transpires when people feel safe to question unfamiliar ideas. Resistance precedes alignment.

4. Purpose Gap: When Vision Doesn’t Translate To Action

Purpose isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the fuel that drives meaningful work. Yet, there’s often a glaring gap between the purpose that leaders live by and what employees experience at work. Leaders see the big picture. They may miss the opportunity to help their teams connect their goals to a higher purpose. Research informs us that the frontline (87%) remains ambiguous about vision. It’s not enough to understand it; we need to consistently connect it to conversations with our teams. When leaders invest in a culture of clarity and share awareness about the impact of change, they create a sense of purpose that fuels commitment and, ultimately, results. Energy may not be measured in your culture, but you can certainly tell when it's not present.

5. Abandonment: The Emotional Cost Of Change

We are hard-wired to be seen and to be heard. People want to feel valued, especially during consistent turbulence. More often than not, teams experience a sense of abandonment during change. When we overlook the emotional side of change, we lose more than just engagement—we lose commitment. Employees who feel abandoned are more likely to disengage, doing the minimum to get by. Having daily small talk with your team may seem like a waste of time, but the emotional journey is a fact. Leaders who prioritize empathy and listen to their teams can turn potential risks of abandonment into enthusiasm and unwavering commitment to support the change.

6. Competing Priorities: When Everything Is A Priority, Nothing Is

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of new initiatives, but when everything is a priority, nothing is. Shifting from one project to another without a clear focus dilutes energy and resources, leading to burnout and failure. The key solution here is to ensure alignment at the top. Decisions regarding what is important are critical when priorities compete. Be clear on your priorities and help your team make decisions based on a clear direction. When you focus on what truly matters, you cut through the noise of competing priorities and create a sense of direction that empowers teams to row in the same direction.

7. The Roller-Coaster Effect: The Toll Of Constant Change

As top leaders change and organizations change gears, it can feel like a roller coaster—exciting at first but consuming when there is no end in mind. When teams are continually spun in a new direction, and one project is replaced with another, they lose sight of their sense of accomplishment and control. This roller-coaster effect not only demoralizes employees but also undermines the focus needed for successful change. Leaders who manage change must also manage awareness, acceptance and trust at times of consistent change.

We are so much more than our survival skills, and the pause to clarify your long-term strategy and connect the dots for your team might be what your next change needs to thrive.

This article was published on Forbes.com.