Championing stability during times of complex, fast-moving change is the best way CHROs can help organisations respond to oncoming challenges without losing focus or cohesion, says Disruption Advisors CEO Whitney Johnson.

The notion that resilient organisations are built on psychological safety, structural support and aligned priorities is well established among HR leaders.

But ask any CHRO whose organisation has experienced change-induced workforce inertia to describe the C-suite’s response, and you’re unlikely to hear about stability being prioritised.

“That’s because stability remains fundamentally undervalued,” says Whitney Johnson, Disruption Advisors CEO and keynote speaker at AHRI’s upcoming National Convention and Exhibition in August.

“Look at the incentive structures inside a typical organisation: we’re focused on innovation, the shiny object. We don’t value stability. And yet, without the stability, productive disruption cannot happen.”

She likens disruption-led progress to a rocket ship, and stability to its launch pad. 

“Without that launch pad, you’ve just got a big tube lying on its side.”

Recent workforce research by Disruption Advisors showed that 56 per cent of respondents wanted the same mix of disruption and stability they currently had, while 40 per cent wanted more stability. Only four per cent said they wanted more disruption in the mix.

“At a ratio of 10 to one, people were saying, ‘In order for us to transform, to change, we need more stability. Otherwise, we can’t do it. We’re going to get burnt out, paralysed. We’re going to come undone.’

“But if you go to your CEO and you say, ‘We need more stability,’ they’re probably going to say, ‘Yeah, I don’t think so.’”

How, then, can CHROs make the case for greater stability, especially during times of relentless external change?

Stability as a financial performance driver

Instead of framing stability as an employee need, Johnson suggests characterising it as a mitigator of financial risk.

“Research shows us that two thirds of all projects fail, whether that’s product development, engineering or [something else],” she says.

Arguing that stability can increase the chances of successful project implementation – and, in turn, drive financial performance – gives the C-suite a new lens through which to view stability.

Johnson suggests positioning teams as macro-stabilising mechanisms that create operational agility for the organisation as a whole. 

“Your job, as an HR leader, is to become an architect of that stability,” she says. “That is how you define your function.”

In practice, this means enumerating the structures that currently provide stability for your teams internally and that can provide stability for teams in general.

“We already have the institutional knowledge that allows for things to be stable when everything seems and feels unmoored – so let’s use it.”

In doing so, CHROs re-cast themselves as strategic business partners, rather than people advocates. 

“You’re still a people advocate, of course. But you’ve framed it in a way that resonates with your CEO and board: ‘financial performance’, ‘risk management’, ‘talent economics’, ‘driving competitive edge’.”

You are, in other words, speaking their language. 

You can also try:

• Using commercial language that speaks to CEOs and boards

Replace people-first phrasing (“we want employees to feel stable”) with commercially aligned terms (“stability drives financial performance”, “reduces execution risk”, “enhances organisational resilience”).

Use-case framing: “When we talk about creating stability for our workforce, we’re not just referring to emotional reassurance. We’re referring to a business condition that improves execution, reduces risk and strengthens our ability to deliver consistent results.

“Stability isn’t just good for people – it’s good for performance. When employees aren’t constantly adapting to team churn, unclear priorities or structural shifts, they can focus on strategic delivery. That’s how we reduce execution drag and protect our investments in transformation.”

“When employees aren’t constantly adapting to team churn, unclear priorities or structural shifts, they can focus on strategic delivery.” – Whitney Johnson, CEO, Disruption Advisors

• Clarifying that stability doesn’t slow progress, but enables speed.

High-performing organisations don’t just move fast; they move in alignment. When teams are stable, they don’t waste time recalibrating after every pivot. They have clearer baselines, lower friction and more trust – which accelerates execution.

Use-case framing: “If we want to shorten the strategy-to-execution cycle, we need stable operating units with known dynamics. That’s where speed and clarity come from.”

• Framing it up as a cost control exercise: 

High turnover drives up recruitment costs, training investment and productivity loss. But beyond direct costs, it delays transformation due to constantly resetting teams.

Use-case framing: “Reducing turnover by 10 per cent could free up $X million in budget and shave months off our transformation timeline.”

Read HRM’s article ‘5 common mistakes businesses make when crafting transformation initiatives’.

Making stability visible

Next comes the pivot from advocating for stability as a concept to manifesting it across the org chart.

Johnson stresses there is no one-size-fits-all approach, but offers three guiding principles that HR practitioners can use when coaching leaders on building stability:

• Highlight the stability that already exists.

During times of disruption, whether external or internal, employees’ focus shifts to what is new, changeable or uncertain. This can obscure the existent stability that can ground employees and teams. 

“The core values of your team or organisation haven’t changed,” says Johnson. “At least some key relationships will remain consistent. Wages are still being paid, benefits continue to flow.” 

The psychological principle is simple: consistent attention to something strengthens its presence in one’s mind. 

“You get pregnant and suddenly everyone’s pregnant,” says Johnson. “You buy a red car, and you start seeing red cars everywhere. What you focus on, you get more of.”

A greater focus on stability can, in Johnson’s words, “help quiet the lizard brain, the fight-or-flight brain, and bring productive discomfort into perspective”.  

• Communicate, don’t dictate, and do it consistently.

Creating regular, predictable communication touchpoints can reduce anxiety and remind people that they matter, even if the content being communicated is challenging or the outcomes uncertain, says Johnson.

She stresses the importance of making these communication touchpoints inclusive. 

“Provide feedback loops that actually loop,” she says. “Creating systems where people can voice concerns and see those concerns addressed builds trust and means they will feel safe. Nothing stabilises a situation as effectively as the feeling of safety.”

• Be a behaviour model.

CHROs and the leaders they coach should be aware of the impact their behaviour can have on teams during times of transformation. 

“People are paying more attention to how you respond than to what you say,” says Johnson. 

In a situation where certain outcomes are fundamentally unknowable, actions, behaviour and demeanour really do speak louder than words.

“When you are a leader, your face isn’t yours any more, and neither are your emotions, given your de facto role as the emotional infrastructure of your organisation.”

Find your framework

It’s important for HR leaders to acknowledge the additional pressure they themselves are likely to feel during times of upheaval and disruption, says Johnson. 

Creating a framework for your own function can help HR lead from a position of stability in these situations.

Angie Balfour, CHRO at Seekwell and former Head of HR at Instagram, has a personal framework that Johnson finds powerful for high-stakes moments, whether it’s founder exits, acquisitions or strategy pivots, all of which Balfour has been a part of. 

“Her approach is beautifully systematic,” says Johnson. “Partner with leadership to truly understand the situation; outline a plan even when things are dynamic; communicate with vulnerability instead of robotic corporate speak; identify milestones to check assumptions of the plan; and course correct as needed.”

Balfour also emphasises the importance of helping people see that their day-to-day meaningful work continues, even in tumultuous times. As she puts it, “People stay calm when there is work to do that is meaningful.”

That adage is as true for HR as it is for any other member of an organisation, says Johnson.

Join Whitney Johnson and other global thought leaders at AHRI’s National Convention and Exhibition this August exploring strategies to fuel human potential.