Change is a Nervous System Event

Why workplace change feels harder than it should, and what we often miss about it.

If you’ve ever led change at work, maybe you moved offices, rolled out hybrid working, shifted systems or team structures, you’ve probably run into something unexpected.

Even when the change makes sense…
Even when it’s been well-communicated…
Even when it’s genuinely better than the old way…

It can still feel like pulling teeth to get everyone on board.

There’s resistance. Frustration. That awkward silence in meetings where you thought there’d be momentum. Little signs of disengagement that you can’t quite put your finger on, but you feel them.

And it can leave you wondering: Why is this so hard? Why aren’t they embracing this?

Here’s what I want you to know, something most change strategies completely overlook:

Change isn’t just a checklist or a rollout plan.
It’s a nervous system event.

Even positive change, when it’s smart, strategic, progressive, still creates uncertainty. And our brains? They really don’t like that.

We’re wired to seek safety, rhythm, predictability. So when the environment shifts and people walk into a new space, or their routines change, or suddenly the “way we do things” feels unfamiliar, their nervous system starts scanning for danger.

Is this safe? Do I still belong here? What’s expected of me now?

This doesn’t mean they’re resistant to growth. It means they’re human.

But when those questions go unanswered, when we move too fast, or forget to bring people along emotionally, what looks like resistance is often just dysregulation. Their systems can’t keep up, and so they shut down.

It might show up as tiredness. Irritability. Low energy or that vague sense that people are doing the bare minimum just to get through the day.

And sure, from the outside it might seem like they’re not bought in. But it’s not about buy-in.  It’s about how safe they feel in the change itself.

Because people don’t resist change.
They resist feeling unsafe in the process of it.

So how do we support them through that?

We don’t throw away the strategy.
We don’t stall progress or sugar-coat the hard stuff.

But we do pause to acknowledge the human experience underneath it all.

We involve people earlier. We communicate often, and with heart. We help them find new anchors in the unfamiliar: a daily rhythm, a shared ritual, a sense of clarity around what’s next. We normalise the wobble and most importantly, we stay present while people recalibrate.

Because when your team feels safe, supported, and included in the journey, everything changes.
They lean in.
They contribute.
They carry the vision with you.

And that’s the kind of change that doesn’t just get implemented, it actually sticks.

So if you’re planning a shift in your workplace, whether it’s physical space, new systems, or a cultural reset, let’s talk. I’d love to help make sure the human side isn’t the piece that gets left behind.

Because it’s never just a new desk or a new tool.
It’s a moment of transformation. For your business and your people.

Let’s do it with care.