Leading Through Change

For a successful evolution, it’s crucial to guide your teams from fear into fulfillment.  

Robert Bittner

As pest management companies grow and mature, change comes in a variety of ways. Consolidation can lead to culture shifts, benefit changes, and route restructuring, while new technologies, developments in pest management approaches, and regulatory updates present opportunities to strive for constant improvement.  

“Our industry is constantly evolving, so change is inevitable,” says Emilio Polce, director of development and training at Rid-A-Bug Exterminating Co. Inc., which serves the Carolinas and Virginia. “If we’re not changing, then we’re stagnant. Companies need to embrace change and constantly look for ways to change to get better.”

This is part of the company culture at Hawx Pest Control, which serves 14 states coast to coast, says Scott Broaddus, vice president of expansion. “Our company culture is based on constantly evolving,” he says. “I think that is because, in some ways, we perceive ourselves as somewhat of a technology company that also has the operational focus to deliver really fantastic pest control and customer experience. And technology, as we all know, is rapidly evolving. That means we need to be evolving the way we do things, too.”
No matter how constant change may be or how deeply it is ingrained in the company culture, changes continue to be unsettling for many workers. Some industries might tell their people to just “get over it,” but in the pest management industry, where frontline technicians often are the client-facing side of the company, change that unsettles them also unsettles the business. 

Leadership must acknowledge the transition periods that come with change through open communication, early employee engagement, and actively listening to the people working face-to-face with clients every day.  
THE EMOTIONAL STAGES OF CHANGE   
Depending on a company’s culture, minor changes may be taken in stride and made without attracting much attention. However, larger workplace shifts can go beyond merely unsettling and lead to feelings that mirror grief.

“When changes are announced, everyone goes through a range of emotions,” Polce says. He recalls being branch manager with another company when that company converted from monthly pest control to quarterly calls. The change hit technicians hard. “Most of the technicians responded like someone in their family had died,” he says. “They were so accustomed to those monthly visits and those territories. Now their territories were bigger, and they were seeing customers less. That was a huge culture shock.”

For decades, a change curve has mapped the emotional stages workers experience—from initial fear to eventual fulfillment—following the commonly recognized stages of grief. There are numerous support groups and resources available for working through the grief process; Polce believes a company’s leaders similarly can help employees deal with change. To emphasize that, he amended the original model to highlight solutions rather than focus on problems. 

“That’s why I’ve included leadership responses like reinvent, engage and develop, see the future, value results, embracing the leader’s heart,” he says. “Your true leadership skills come into play when you guide them through informed pessimism to informed optimism. Once we get over that curve, that’s where we get true clarity. That’s where your team truly understands and sees what the future is going to be. And that’s where we really start getting results.”

COMMUNICATE EARLY, OPENLY, AND OFTEN
As the change curve acknowledges, the initial announcement of a change can create fear, shock, denial, and depression among employees—because such news typically comes without any warning. Leaders, on the other hand, may have had months of discussion and preparation before a change is announced. They’ve been in the meetings, they understand the reasoning, and they have had time to process and express their concerns. For them, the public announcement feels like a natural next step. For everyone else, it may feel like a sudden and unexpected disruption. 

That doesn’t have to be the case.

Broaddus believes the opportunities for engagement before change are often overlooked. “We can all be more proactive in discussing the process: ‘Here’s what we’re considering.’ ‘Here’s what we’re evaluating.’ ‘Here are some things we’re looking to do.’ ‘Here are some reasons why this has come up,’ ” he says. “If we can create more early awareness, [that’s an] opportunity to enhance buy-in even more.”

At the same time, Broaddus acknowledges that early engagement will naturally lead to questions. 
“Everyone is going to see the situation differently and will want to contribute their opinions,” he says. “My advice is to communicate your vision for the changes and share what people need to see in order to understand and commit.” 

People will always want to know more, but he adds that getting too granular can encourage personal preferences and opinions, which can diminish the value of early engagement. 

“It is easy to get lost in the details or frustrated along the way,” says Broaddus. “Help teams focus on the results that will go along with the things you’re trying to roll out.”

Transparent communication is also key when leading companywide changes, adds Polce. “When problems arise during a change or transition, transparency is about how you address that with the team; you don’t want them to lose faith in where the company is going.” 

That doesn’t mean leadership needs to give the impression they have everything figured out; Polce recommends honesty and team inclusion.

“Present the challenge, bring them on board, and ask how we can work together to move forward,” he says. 
Broaddus advises addressing change from multiple angles. At Hawx, that happens in regularly scheduled meetings and in an internal operational podcast where the company brings new initiatives to the surface. 
“Then, we reinforce that messaging throughout the organization—communicating through Google Chat, through our learning-management software and micro training sessions—making sure people are not only seeing and hearing the messaging but understanding it as well,” explains Broaddus. “You really have to say something seven different times, in seven different ways, to get the message out and make sure people understand it and have the chance to comment and ask questions.”

Polce emphasizes that the most effective communication flows two ways. “The biggest communication mistake leaders can make during times of change is talking instead of listening,” he says. “Yes, we need to provide information and address issues, but we also need to be active listeners so we truly understand what [our teams are] experiencing and thinking.”

Communication may feel like an all-too-obvious thing to emphasize, but it is a critical component of the effective change leadership that builds organizational resilience.

“If you do not have a means of communicating, educating, and training your people through all of those micro changes and rapid innovation, then you won’t be prepared for the big changes,” says Broaddus. “You may lose a lot of people in the process.”

ASK AND LISTEN
Change should not be seen merely as a top-level decision that gets conveyed level-by-level down through the company. Instead, Polce suggests thinking about change as a learning process for the entire organization. Although leaders develop a plan for moving forward, it isn’t set in stone. Sometimes plans require tweaks along the way.

“That’s why maintaining engagement is so important,” he says. “We need to be listeners—getting feedback from our team—instead of just focusing on moving forward.” 

Listening and learning go hand in hand. “Not every company is always going to make the right decisions when it comes to change,” Broaddus says. “Some may just be bad choices. Sometimes even good changes may not yield the results you were looking for. In those cases, you have to be able to step back, measure the business outcomes, and see if maybe you missed the mark. In the end, you may need to make additional changes or revert to the way things were.

“In these situations, I think it’s important to continue communicating openly with your team,” he continues. “Without being overly granular about every detail, try to be as transparent as possible about why certain decisions or changes are made.” 

In meetings and face-to-face conversations, Polce recommends asking open-ended questions—the kind meant to elicit more than a “yes” or “no”—about the changes and how people are dealing with them. 
“Sometimes your team members will be so frustrated, they won’t tell you everything,” he says. “People may look at you, smile, and say everything’s OK, but in the back of their mind, they’re out looking for another job.” 

Even when the change is great and the feedback is positive, not every team member will get on board at the same time. Buy-in doesn’t always come easily, and it won’t occur overnight. 

“Even high performers may need time to get acclimated and comfortable with change,” Broaddus admits. “We’re happy to be patient and support them through that process. Ultimately, though, there comes a time when you need to see them evolve.” 

For some, that time might never come. 

“To be frank, if there are folks who just aren’t bought in and aren’t aligned with the culture, we’re OK acknowledging that Hawx might not be the best fit long term,” says Broaddus. “That’s difficult to swallow, because you want the situation to work for everybody, but in some cases that’s just not reality. If people aren’t going to buy in and believe in the product or the service, it’s OK for those folks to explore other opportunities.”

Polce is early in his tenure with Rid-a-Bug Exterminating, so he has not seen the company work through any significant changes yet. However, he is positive about how those changes will be handled when they do unfold. 

“I think the industry’s getting better at leading through change,” he says. “But it’s a learning process. And each transition will teach you something new.” 

Professional Development Pathways: Growth Opportunities Through NPMA

One of the most powerful things a company can offer employees isn’t a raise—it’s a clear path forward. When people can see where they’re headed and how to get there, they’re more likely to stay and grow, especially during periods of organizational change. NPMA membership gives companies the tools to make that path visible at every level.

FOR TECHNICIANS: NPMA Pro CERTIFIED
Entry-level and early-career technicians want to know their work is valued and that there’s somewhere to go. NPMA Pro Certified is a national professional credential that signals competence, commitment, and career seriousness. For technicians, earning the designation is a tangible milestone they can point to with pride. For companies, it’s both a retention tool and a recruiting signal: It says, “We invest in the people who work here.”

The certification is designed to be achievable without pulling technicians off the job for extended periods, making it practical for companies of any size to support.

FOR MANAGERS AND EMERGING LEADERS: EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AND LEADER LAUNCH
Mid-level managers are often the most overlooked group when it comes to professional development—past entry-level onboarding but not yet tapped for executive programming. That gap is where good people start looking for a job elsewhere.

NPMA’s Executive Leadership Program (ELP) identifies and trains aspiring association leaders to establish a pipeline of engaged members that represents NPMA’s diverse membership. Leader Launch is a deeper dive into the needed skills for industry and association leadership for selected individuals, many of whom may be graduates of the ELP program.

FOR EVERYONE: NETWORKING AND VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT
Professional growth doesn’t stop at credentials. NPMA’s Hives program offers a structured nine-week peer networking experience that connects pest management professionals across the country. Through this program, they can build relationships, exchange ideas, and reduce the isolation that can come with rapid organizational change or a new role.

Beyond Hives, NPMA offers opportunities to serve on committees and councils that shape the direction of the industry. Volunteering in these spaces gives employees at every career stage a platform, a peer group, and a sense of investment in something larger than their day-to-day work. Opportunities are listed at npmapestworld.org/volunteer.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER
The companies that retain people through change tend to be the ones where employees feel genuinely invested. Connecting your team to NPMA’s professional development resources—from a technician’s first certification to an executive’s leadership cohort—is one of the most concrete ways to demonstrate that investment.