Manage change with ease

Change is hard - leaving school, changing jobs or even careers. But adapting to change can be fun if done correctly and with the right mindset. You can actually benefit from new opportunities and ease the pain of transition.

Always look to the future

Anticipate change and its potential impact on your work area. Just like people, companies are living organisms - constantly changing.

Be optimistic

Look at it as an opportunity rather than a threat. In turbulent times, people tend to move to more stable jobs. When people leave your firm, apply for a job that has been vacated.

Keep your ear close to the ground

Change is coming. Find out how important it will be. Who will be affected? How significant is it? Is it organisational, legal, technological or procedural? Is the change urgent?

See the big picture

Review your company's values, mission and vision to give you context for the changes.

Listen actively

Your colleagues' ideas on how to make change as smooth as possible could be invaluable, especially if they'd been through change before.

Be aware of your own reactions

Typically, people go through four phases: denial, anger, acceptance and action.

Lancy Chui, managing director, Manpower Hong Kong, Macau and Vietnam operations