Why Employees Hate Change | Julia Dhar

Why do so many change initiatives fail despite decades of research? This week, we’re talking with behavioral economist Julia Dhar, co-author of How Change Really Works, about the behavioral science behind successful organizational change. Seamless transformations don’t happen because of iron-clad strategy. They occur when leaders design a better “cockpit” for the people responsible for driving change.

Employees often experience both curiosity and anxiety when change is announced, yet leaders often overestimate how clearly they’re communicating, assuming “if you build it, they will come.” Julia explains why that mindset so often fails and shares practical strategies that make change more likely to succeed, including take-up plans, psychological safety, honest communication, and better feedback systems.

We also explore whether “change fatigue” is really change disappointment, and what today’s AI-driven workplace can teach us about leading people through uncertainty. If you’ve ever wondered why great ideas at work struggle to gain traction, this conversation reveals that success depends less on the idea itself than on how the change is introduced, communicated, and sustained.

Want to watch this episode? Check it out on our YouTube Channel!