It’s likely that you have been a part of a workplace that had its share of dysfunction—misunderstandings, lack of ownership, and disingenuous change efforts. Maybe you’re working there right now. It's time to talk about the real impact this has on our lives and how tools like Microsoft Viva can lead to authentic change.
Authentic change is important because inauthentic change tends to backfire and has little impact on the root of organizational dysfunction. It's nearly a guarantee that inauthentic change will fail, costing countless hours of wasted effort.
So, what exactly makes organizational change authentic? Let’s dive in.
What is Authentic Change?
The book, “Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box” written by the Arbinger Institute, discusses how self-deception can cloud judgement of yourself and others. When the question is asked, “Can I influence change?” most of the time our answer is “No, I don't have the authority to influence change”. Is that true or is there room for you to embrace change on a more individual level?
Years ago, after a former manager recommended it, I read “Leadership and Self-Deception”, and the message was clear. I reached the conclusion at a very honest level that I am change. I have the power to be an agent of change. And you have the same power. But you must truly desire change and be honest about the reason behind that desire.
That’s what makes the difference between real change and change that doesn’t last. This applies to the workplace and our personal lives. Have you ever failed to change a habit long-term? I know I have. Why did I fail? I didn’t want it for the right reasons and had a backlog of bad habits to clean up first. The same applies to dysfunctional organizations.
Impact of Organizational Dysfunction
The cascade effect of organizational dysfunction can vary but the following outcomes are typical signs of deeply embedded dysfunction.
Poor Mental and Physical Health: Chronic stress from workplace chaos can lead to anxiety, depression, and burnout. It's not just about losing sleep which is harmful to the body; it's about losing peace of mind and can even damage relationships.
Poor Productivity: When people are caught in never-ending loops of miscommunication and finger-pointing, projects stall, deadlines are missed, and creativity is stifled, further contributing to declining morale.
Low Job Satisfaction: Dysfunction erodes trust. People end up feeling unvalued and unsupported, leading to high turnover rates and a toxic work culture that is perpetuated by agents of inauthentic change. And make no mistake, your top performers will leave for something better if the toxicity persists for longer than they can bare, regardless of the perks of the job.
What Stops Authentic Change?
The ultimate blocker when attempting to influence change is lack of trust. But here are some unseen causes underneath the distrust.
Lack of Ownership: Without clear accountability, change efforts die out. Employees need to see that leaders are committed to real change that will last. If not, trust will continue to erode.
Fear of Failure: Fear of taking risks and failing can paralyze an organization. People need a safe space to innovate and learn from mistakes. But chronic mistakes must be mitigated with improved process versus blaming the employees when things go wrong. If punishment is the only culture, employees will never trust leadership.
Resistance to Change: Change can be uncomfortable. Employees might feel threatened by new processes or technologies and prefer sticking to the familiar. But if assurances are given to employees for learning and improved process, resistance will dissipate over time especially when trust is rebuilt.
Short-Term Focus: Organizations often focus on quick fixes rather than long-term solutions. This mindset undermines authentic change and it’s easy to see by all employees.
Perceived Impossibility: When problems seem insurmountable, people give up. Leaders must break down change into manageable steps to make it feel achievable. Unfortunately, many employees across the workforce feel that change is never going to happen. This is possibly the greatest challenge when influencing authentic organizational change.
Overall Lack of Trust: Previous failed initiatives can make employees skeptical. Trust must be rebuilt through consistent and transparent actions. There are many elements to trust, and one is consistency. If leaders deliver only short-term change and have bouts of regression, distrust will persist because it signals a lack of commitment.
Change with Microsoft Viva
Microsoft Viva can be a game-changer but only if you're ready for authentic change.
Viva Glint helps organizations capture and act on employee feedback to improve engagement and well-being. This helps boost empathy and understanding, both of which are necessary for authentic change.
Viva Insights provides data-driven insights that help leaders understand and improve the employee experience. This data will inform better decisions.
Viva Engage and Viva Connections foster a sense of community and belonging by integrating communities, company news, resources, and social tools.
Viva Learning encourages continuous learning and development, helping employees feel valued and invested.
Viva Goals helps organizations track progress and achieve positive change by setting clear objectives and key results (OKRs), ensuring everyone is aligned and focused on common goals. UPDATE: Since this article was published, Microsoft announced the retirement of Viva Goals on December 31, 2025.
Success Story
Microsoft used Viva Insights to spark genuine change, transforming their workplace dynamics. By leveraging Organizational Network Analysis (ONA), they uncovered better ways for employees to connect and communicate.
After these transformative changes, employee engagement soared by 30% and turnover dropped by 20% within a year. Employees not only felt more connected but reported a 25% boost in doing meaningful work, a 34% rise in time for skill development, and a whopping 75% reduction in manual tasks around goal setting.
These evidence-backed improvements highlight the significant uptick in employee satisfaction and well-being in addition to what happens when authentic change is embraced. Those employees’ lives changed for the better in and out of the workplace.
Call to Action
Are you a leader? You might think not if you don’t manage people or products in an authoritative role. But as proven in “Leadership and Self-Deception”, you don’t need to be a manager or even know everything to be a leader. You have the power to be a catalyst for change if you’re willing to talk about it because most people are not ready to discuss it in a genuine way. But all it takes is one person to create change. Are you that person? I think we all have the potential to actualize that power.
My call to action for leaders of every kind: it's time to commit to authentic change for our collective benefit. The choice is yours to create a workplace where employees feel seen, heard, and valued. There is no magical formula. All it takes is authenticity, understanding, and actionable data. We can make it happen together with Microsoft Viva.
Let’s embrace authentic change and build a new culture of trust and accountability that ultimately balances all our lives in a positive way. Are you ready?