Cognitive scientists have proved that people naturally fear change. Yet, change is a constant in business, the way we work, and our world that is rapidly, powerfully developing.
As a change manager, it’s my job to understand this and shepherd change through an organisation to create a win-win for the business and its people. In vital partnership with stakeholders, I lead innovation and transformation, while planning for the spectrum of human emotion when faced with the unknown.
As Simon Sinek writes: “Regardless of technology or the speed of innovation, people are still people. And all the rules of humanity still apply.”
My work has spanned continents, teams of all sizes, and transformations for global companies in operating model, tech, HR, culture, social good, and beyond. As we launch into 2026, these are my insights into the major themes I’m seeing in change management, the needs of top organisations, and why the character of a consultant is an essential success factor.
Why Operating Model Change Lives or Dies on Trust
The number one conversation I’m having with clients right now is operating model change – driven by shifts in strategy, digital transformation, cost optimisation, or underperformance. Despite large brick-and-mortar headquarters, businesses are living, moving entities and there is a lot of movement happening right now.
Operating model change involves redesigning how a business operates: its blueprint. This can include making changes to processes, technology, and people. From a people standpoint, when restructuring business units, departments and teams, one critical component is often overlooked: the human element.
Restructuring is frequently viewed in a negative light by employees, even when the change represents a positive opportunity. When change affects only a specific department, it often creates a ripple effect of uncertainty and unease across the entire organisation. For those directly impacted, the announcement of organisational restructuring inevitably triggers a wave of emotions and questions. Executives and leaders must be prepared to meet this moment.
This is where I come in as a change expert. Natural scepticism, worry, mistrust, fear – and the full spectrum of human emotion – must be addressed with proper preparation, clear strategic messaging, continuous communication, empathy, trust, and transparency.
At STANLIB, I worked on an outsourcing programme conducted under the auspices of a Section 197 transfer of business. Employees transitioned to new employers with terms and conditions no less favourable than those they enjoyed previously, and we committed to zero job losses. Even with that commitment in place, success depended on the right messaging, regular communication, and deliberate trust-building throughout the entire rollout.
When operating model changes lead to restructuring, a Section 189 process may be required, potentially resulting in job losses. These high-stakes, emotionally charged situations demand rigorous change management, empathy, and strong collaboration with leaders and stakeholders to ensure they are handled responsibly.
As a change manager, I partner closely with an entire matrix of stakeholders such as the CEO, COO, HR Director, Internal Communications, Project Managers, Wellbeing, Line Managers, Employee Relations, and Organisational Design experts.
In my experience, the best outcomes have always occurred when the Sponsor, HR Director, and internal leaders own the change. While I bring my vital expertise to the change process, staff and teams ultimately want to see their leaders explaining and directing the transformation. The value of trust and wholehearted business leadership is crucial to the success of the operating model change.
Navigating the Rewards and Realities of Tech Change
The other hot topic right now is technology transformations. Across South Africa and globally, major organisations are seeking to innovate, update, keep pace with the growth of AI and new tech, and stay competitive in the job market.
However, the problem arises in technology change when we underestimate its complexity. For instance, an HR transformation may seem straightforward and limited to HR, and yet it realistically touches every part of an organisation.
During my time with Accenture, I led a global tech transformation with BHP Billiton with large international teams across Eurasia, Southern Africa, and North America through a full suite of tech change, including HR, Supply Chain and Finance modules. This required months of preparation, with training and employee support provided both before and after implementation.
At Sasol, the implementation of a new SAP HR system introduced significant complexity during the global rollout of one of the key modules: Time and Attendance. Given the scale of the workforce – particularly the highly unionised employees in mining and plant operations – the business acted decisively to safeguard employee trust and operational continuity. Multidisciplinary change teams were deployed across South Africa to both head office and operational sites. These teams facilitated focus groups, engaged directly with employees, and partnered with local stakeholders to identify root causes and stabilise the solution.
These experiences have taught me to never underestimate technology transformations – both their immense benefits and their risks – as organisations seek to develop and prosper.
The Role of Humility in Leading Change
Something rarely acknowledged is that the character of a change consultant is a major determining factor to the outcomes and success of a transformation.
Partnership and humility are two of these critical values in the current landscape. While change consultants bring our specialised skills and expertise, a truly effective consultant knows to collaborate with the business stakeholders as the subject matter experts in their own business and people. In the times I’ve witnessed a consultant bulldoze the change process without leading from these values, it has always led to worse results for the business and its people.
As a person, I’m not known for being the loudest voice in the room, but I believe a blend of deep listening, natural empathy, and a thick skin is what modern organizations need in the current climate: a consultant who understands the gravity of change, while also getting the job done.
Ultimately, successful change is not about systems alone, but about people. When organisations lead with trust and clear ownership of change, they create space for both business outcomes and humanity to coexist. As the world evolves rapidly, the role of the change consultant is to ensure long-lasting change, navigate complexity, and hold the human centre of transformation with care and strength.
