Change used to come in waves. Lately, it feels more like a tsunami.

If you’re an HR leader or manager, you've probably noticed it too. Your teams are dealing with new AI tools, shifting priorities, and constant adaptation while trying to keep up with their regular work. The irony? Most employees are curious about AI and open to change. The problem isn't resistance. It's that organizations are moving faster than their support systems can handle.

Here's what we've learned from our recent Wiley Workplace Intelligence research: the organizations thriving through this period aren't the ones with the best technology. They're the ones who understand that successful change isn't really about tools or processes. It's about understanding how different people handle uncertainty and what they need to succeed when everything feels unstable.

Let's dig into what the data tells us about where things are breaking down, and more importantly, what you can do about it.

AI Is Accelerating Change—and Stress

The numbers tell the story. More than two-thirds (67%) of employees are bracing for even more change, and over a third are reporting stress levels that should worry any leader.

35% of employees report severe stress levels

What’s really happening is that companies are implementing AI and other technology initiatives faster than they can prepare their people for it. The result? Employees feel like they're constantly playing catch-up, never mastering one system before the next one arrives. The very technology that's supposed to make work easier is making people more stressed.

When you can't predict what tool you'll be expected to use next week or whether your role will look the same in three months, that uncertainty becomes its own source of anxiety. Teams that used to handle change just fine are now struggling because there's no breathing room between one shift and the next.

Middle Managers Are Caught in the Middle

Here's where things get problematic: middle managers are bearing the brunt of all this change, but they're doing it without backup.

52% of managers feel responsible for guiding teams through change, yet only 45% feel supported by leadership.

More than half of managers know their teams are looking to them for guidance through these transitions. They're the ones fielding questions about new AI policies, explaining why priorities shifted again, and trying to keep morale up when everyone feels stretched thin. But here's what's broken, less than half of these managers feel like they're getting the support they need from their own leadership.

The real issue isn't employee resistance. Most people will adapt if they understand what's happening and why. The problem is that managers are expected to have answers they don't actually have. They're supposed to maintain team productivity while everything around them is shifting, but they're often finding out about changes at the same time as their direct reports. It's like being asked to guide people through a maze while you're still trying to figure out the route yourself.

Communication and Training Are the Missing Links

If you want to know what's really driving all this stress and confusion, look at the communication breakdown happening in most organizations.

Nearly half (41%) of employees say clear communication is what they need most during times of change. But here's reality: 44% of people use AI tools weekly at work, yet a third don't even know if their company has AI policies. And only 18% get any real training on handling change.

41% of employees say clear communication is their top need during change

Companies are asking people to adapt to new technology without explaining the rules or providing transition support. The organizations doing change management well understand something simple: you can't just throw new tools at people and hope for the best. You need to support them through the process, give managers real information to work with, and be honest about what's happening and why.

How to Build Change Resilience: Key Strategies

So, what can you do about all this? The solutions aren't as complicated as the problems might seem.

• Start by figuring out how your people handle change. Some thrive when everything's shifting, others need more structure to feel steady. Once you know who's who, you can stop treating everyone the same and start giving people what they need.
• Get smarter about putting people in the right roles, both in hiring and internal moves. When someone's natural strengths match their job, they handle changing priorities much better than someone struggling with the basics of their role.
• Look at how your teams work together. Where are the gaps? Who's carrying too much? Where do people get stuck? Change is easier when teams already function well and can support each other.
• Coach people to grow with their roles. When someone understands their own patterns, how they react under pressure, and what they need to stay focused on, they adapt faster when expectations change.

The companies getting this right aren't doing anything revolutionary. They're just being more intentional about understanding their people and setting them up to succeed, no matter what changes come next.

The Bottom Line

Change isn't slowing down. If anything, the pace is only going to pick up as AI becomes more embedded in how we work. But that doesn't mean your organization has to keep struggling through every transition.

When everything around you is changing, the one constant you can count on is understanding your people. PXT Select^® assessments give you the data-driven insights to see who adapts quickly to change, who needs more support during transitions, and how to position each person for success even when priorities keep shifting. This isn't just about managing change, it's about using change as an opportunity to build stronger, more resilient teams.

Wiley Workplace Intelligence conducts in-depth research on key workplace issues by gathering insights from individual contributors, managers, and leaders. Wiley Workplace Intelligence then analyzes these findings to provide actionable solutions that are shared in our blog.