Phase 3 – AFTER: Supporting recovery

The post-change adjustment and recovery

The duration of the AFTER phase depends on several factors:

• the characteristics of the event (e.g. source, scope)
• the impact on your organisation and workers
• your organisation’s response
• people’s personal responses. 

Recovery after an event is not the same for everyone. It’s not linear and people’s experiences will differ. 

The focus in this phase is on supporting workers’ mental health throughout the ‘long tail’ of change. And remember, be aware of the ongoing impacts of multiple events. Subsequent events do not cancel out the previous ones. Rather, the effects are more likely to be cumulative. 

What to do at an organisational level

Take stock

The first thing to do is to take stock of where you are in relation to the change plan. Update the plan according to what has and has not been achieved, and to account for any new psychosocial hazards. Remember, people’s mental health may go up and down during this phase; people may cope well initially, but that does not mean their mental health is unaffected.

Now is a good time to provide training, resources and tools, but ensure the training is relevant for where people are in the cycle of change. 

Clarify job design

Change and disruption can alter a person’s role and increase their workload. A key action in this phase is to clarify and address changes to people’s jobs, considering factors such as:

• temporary role changes that support the transition as well as permanent changes to role and structure
• the role of the team within the organisation, such as what the team produces, how it interacts with other areas of the organisation, and how this may have changed
• interactions between team members to ensure people continue to work together productively to achieve team goals
• resources, tools and support people need to do their job and how to access them
• the physical environment, e.g. do people need to sit together to support one another, are there quiet spaces and spaces for collaboration
• training for people who have new responsibilities
• assumptions about things that may have previously been taken for granted, like core working hours, or the organisation’s capacity to support hybrid work arrangements.

The organisation may also need to help people adapt to the change by giving them more time to adjust and complete tasks, and more leeway when dealing with mistakes or delays that are out of character. 

Think about flexibility and autonomy

Here are some practical ways your organisation can give people more autonomy and flexibility during change: 

• Focus on ‘what’—the outputs—rather than ‘how’ people perform their jobs.
• Consider which outputs have the highest priority to better manage job demands. 
• Consult workers about how to do things differently as a team, e.g. deciding on shared work from home days, reviewing and changing deadlines. 
• Develop flexible work policies e.g. working from home, part-time work, variations to core hours. 
• Co-develop return-to-work plans for people transitioning back to the workplace. 

Flexibility and autonomy are also reasonable adjustments employers may need to make to accommodate people’s circumstances. They are often guided by legal rights and responsibilities. 

Review, learn, update

A formal process of reflection and learning is important, and should engage workers. Activities may include:

• reviewing policies (creating new policies or updating existing ones) 
• refreshing training programs and ensuring people are up to date
• providing easier access to supports and resources
• revisiting risk assessment exercises
• refreshing plans for unknown and likely disruptions
• seeking feedback through consultation (particularly if a survey was also done before or during the change).

Review, reflection and learning is a great way to involve people and strengthen your organisation’s preparation for future change.

What to do at a team level

Communicate and connect

Like the previous phases, it is important to prioritise communication and transparency so workers feel informed and connected during uncertainty. The tone, pace and channels of communication will adjust over time—sometimes intentionally, and sometimes naturally as people’s needs shift. It is also important to create an environment where people can discuss and share their experience to make sense of what has happened. 

Link to mental health supports

Be on the lookout for signs of mental health difficulties outlined in the DURING phase (i.e. physical, psychological and behavioural changes). Social supports can be particularly important during this phase (e.g. colleagues, supervisors, family and friends). It is also important to be aware of the stigma associated with mental ill-health and the pressure to be seen to be okay, which can make it difficult for people to seek help and support. 

If you notice someone looks like they are not coping, ask them if they’re okay. It can be the opening they need to ask for help. 

Acknowledge the loss of the ‘way things were’

Change can force people to let go of the way things used to be, and it is important to acknowledge this loss. It can be done early in this phase, as well as at anniversaries and other occasions. Examples include creating memorials or hosting an anniversary event. Whatever is done should include input from workers.

Actively encourage self-care

Leaders, managers and others in key roles such as human resources need to model positive behaviours by actively seeking appropriate supports and taking time for self-care activities. Actions like walking meetings, sharing healthy recipes and creating opportunities to connect about non-work interests are simple ways to encourage people to take care of themselves.