More on Change Fatigue

Introduction

Change fatigue is the physical, emotional and cognitive exhaustion that employees experience when they face too much change, too quickly, or without sufficient support.

It occurs when the volume, pace and complexity of change exceed people’s capacity to adapt. As a result, staff become overwhelmed, disengaged and resistant, not necessarily because they oppose the change, but because they are simply tired.

“…63% of executives report organizational change fatigue…”

Deloitte (2024) as quoted by Theresa Moulton, 2025.

“…In 2016, the average employee experienced only two planned enterprise changes per year (projects like digital transformations, restructures, and so on). That number had increased exponentially to 10 planned changes a year by 2022...”

Deloitte as quoted by Mel Loy, 2024

“…As change increases, so does change fatigue. In the same period as planned changes in organisations skyrocketed, employees’ willingness to support those changes decreased from 74 per cent to 43 per cent. In other words, less than half of our workforces supported change by 2022…”

Mel Loy, 2024

Common Signs of Change Fatigue

• Declining motivation or enthusiasm for new initiatives
• Cynicism (“Here we go again”, “This won’t last”)
• Reduced productivity or focus
• Increased stress, anxiety, or burnout symptoms
• Passive resistance (e.g., not attending workshops, delaying tasks)
• Higher absenteeism
• Deterioration in team cohesion

Some Reasons for Change Fatigue

1. Too many changes at once

Multiple initiatives overlap, creating competition for attention, energy, resources and time.

2. Lack of visible benefits

People can endure change when they see progress. When benefits are slow or unclear, the energy levels drop.

3. Poor communication or unclear direction

Confusion drains cognitive energy and increases uncertainty.

4. Lack of control or involvement

Feeling powerless increases resistance, stress and emotional fatigue.

5. Inadequate support (skills, time, resources, etc)

If the organisation adds new expectations but doesn’t remove old ones, people feel overloaded.

6. Prior negative change experiences

Failed or abandoned initiatives leave people wary and pessimistic.

(main source: Ruben Dool, et al, 2022)