If you’ve felt like your workplace is in a constant state of flux, you’re not alone—and according to new data, many employees think it’s not paying off.
A new 2025 Change Management Survey from Eagle Hill Consulting finds that while 63% of U.S. workers experienced organizational change in the past year, more than a third (34%) say the effort wasn’t worth it. The findings point to a critical disconnect between leaders’ good intentions and employees’ day-to-day realities.
Change Brings Benefits—But Also Burnout
The survey paints a nuanced picture: 46% of employees credit workplace change with improving efficiency, and 43% say it sharpened organizational focus. Yet only 25% believe their company manages change effectively.
“Organizations are introducing important changes but failing to bring employees along on the journey,” said Melissa Jezior, President and CEO of Eagle Hill Consulting. “The key to successful change is not just what you change, but how you change.”
That “how” is the pain point. Nearly half (45%) said change increased their workload; 43% reported higher stress, and 62% said their manager didn’t adjust workloads to allow time to learn or adapt. Just 24% said change was implemented in a way that made it easy to embrace.
The Type of Change Matters
Not all transformation is received equally. Workers were most positive about new product launches (69%), tech changes (66%), and AI initiatives (59%)—all moves that often bring clear, visible benefits.
But return-to-office mandates were a different story: 46% said such changes made their organization worse, and only 24% saw improvement. In a post-pandemic era where flexibility has become currency, that’s a revealing contrast.
Employees Want a Voice—But Aren’t Being Heard
While 57% of employees say they have input on identifying what needs to change, just 40% feel consulted on how those changes are implemented. Only a third believe their voice matters when deciding which initiatives take priority.
The generational divide also stands out: 82% of Baby Boomers and 70% of Gen Xers said they had to adapt to change with no reduction in workload, compared to 54% of Millennials and 47% of Gen Z. Older employees, it seems, are bearing the heavier brunt of transformation fatigue.
The Road to Smarter Change
Eagle Hill’s findings suggest that companies aren’t necessarily changing too much—they’re just changing poorly. The consultancy recommends three key tactics for improvement:
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Put timing on your side: Plan phased rollouts and lighten workloads during major shifts.
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Anchor change in purpose: Tie transformations to outcomes employees can see and understand.
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Empower teams: Recognize that the frontline of change is the team leader—47% of employees say their immediate manager has the most influence over how change is received.
Why It Matters
As organizations grapple with rapid digital transformation, evolving work models, and economic uncertainty, change fatigue has emerged as a new form of workplace risk. The survey underscores that effective change management is now a competitive advantage—and that listening to employees may be the simplest, most overlooked fix.
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