b'How Can Companies Improve This?Resist Telling People What to Do. Feelings of value andunderstanding arent always found within your words. Manytimes, people simply want to feel heard. Turn off all distractionsand be present in your conversations. Recognize someones non-verbal cues, ask questions to mirror understanding, and dontshy away from silence. Embrace the opportunity to really hearwhat someone is saying.Enhance Collaboration by Clarifying Expectations. Establishclear communication channels, utilizing regular meetings, e-mailgroups, and messaging. Also, look for opportunities to bringdepartments together to work on a no-stress project orinitiative. Clarify the roles and responsibilities of eachdepartment, ensuring there is no overlap or confusion.Provide Skill-Development Opportunities. To help individualemployees support more positive interactions, provide trainingand development opportunities that improve communication,negotiation skills, and conflict resolution. When you see thesepositive interactions, recognize and reward your employees fortheir actions. This will reinforce a culture of collaboration andencourage others to follow suit.Make In-Person Time Count. With younger employeespreferring virtual collaboration, organizations must rethink howthey foster connection and engagement in digital spaces. Ifemployees are commuting, they need to feel that time in theoffice is valuablefocused on collaboration, culture-building,and strategic discussions.Adopt a Change Management Model. Effective changemanagement is both an art and a science. Consider adopting achange management model, such as ADKAR, across theorganization. Then, invest in leadership training anddevelopment surrounding the change management model. Itsvital that everyone has a strong understanding of the model andhow to effectively implement it. When used well, everyone willfeel fully informed, have the desire to change, and work togetherto make it happen.36 ENGAGE 2025'