Grumbling is one thing. But one of the biggest legal risks companies face when making policy changes is that employees will experience disparate treatment, driving lawsuits on discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, according to compliance expert Shanti Atkins. “What people do not accept is inconsistency,” says Atkins, president and chief strategy officer of consultancy NAVEX Global. “That’s where you’ll get people very, very upset, and having a very, very big reaction.”
But while policy changes in the workplace aren't always popular, there is an art to executing a smooth—and successful—transition. Whether you're rewriting the company’s rules on cybersecurity, paid time off, or social media, says Atkins, “The overarching lesson is: Be incredibly prepared, and have researched the issue from the top to the bottom of the organization.”
