Applying the Kubler-Ross Change Curve to Change Management

Employees often experience uncertainty, stress and resistance when faced with significant shifts, whether it’s a major restructuring, new policies or technological rollouts. The Kubler-Ross Model, adapted from Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s work on grief, offers change teams valuable insights into how individuals emotionally respond during transitions.

The Kubler-Ross Model doesn’t offer a complete change management framework on its own but serves as a complement to the Prosci ADKAR® Model. This article will examine what the Kubler-Ross Model for change management entails, why emotional responses to change matter, and how this framework can guide your organization through transformation.

What is the Kubler Ross-Model for Change Management?

Introduced in 1969 by Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, the “5 Stages of Grief” framework describes emotional responses to significant life changes. Since the 1980s, the Kubler-Ross Change Curve® model has been adopted as a helpful framework for organizational change management, enabling businesses to understand and navigate employee reactions during transitions such as layoffs or restructurings.

While the Prosci Methodology provides the tools and processes for implementing change, the Kubler-Ross Model offers a psychological perspective. Coupling this framework with our structured change management methodology enables your organization to:

• Plan targeted support for employees based on their emotional stage.
• Anticipate emotional reactions and deliver clear, empathetic messaging that resonates with your organization’s people.
• Identify and remove barriers to change adoption.

Although the Kubler-Ross Model isn’t a comprehensive change management tool, it can play a vital role in addressing the human side of change. Integrating emotional intelligence into change management empowers your organization to navigate transitions with empathy, patience and clarity—turning resistance into readiness and uncertainty into growth.

Benefits of Kubler-Ross Change Management Model in the Workplace

The Kubler-Ross Model is a powerful tool for navigating the emotional complexities of organizational change. Leaders can use this model to guide teams more effectively and create an environment where transitions feel manageable, even during challenging times. The specific benefits of using Kubler-Ross in change management are as follows:

Helps People Understand Feelings During Change

The Kubler-Ross Model helps employees recognize and process their emotional responses to change. It frames reactions as normal and expected, so individuals can navigate transitions with greater self-awareness and resilience.

Facilitates Emotional Support to Employees

The Kubler-Ross Model helps leaders guide teams through change by addressing emotional responses, supporting morale and fostering engagement. By humanizing transitions, the model helps change practitioners prevent resistance and build trust, enabling smoother adoption of new initiatives.

Encourages Employee Engagement During Challenging Times

Engagement often declines during periods of upheaval, but leaders who proactively involve employees in the process, validate their emotions, and maintain open communication can sustain commitment and keep staff committed to shared goals.

Reduces Resistance to Change

Although resistance most often stems from lack of awareness of the reasons for change, fear or misunderstanding are also common contributors. Using the Kubler-Ross Model in the workplace humanizes the change process, so employees feel supported, engaged, and ready to move forward.

How Kubler-Ross Change Management Framework Works

The Kubler-Ross Model has been adapted into a change management framework that offers a practical lens for understanding employee behavior during change and equipping leaders to guide their teams effectively.

Stages of the Kubler-Ross Model

At the heart of the framework are five distinct emotional stages employees typically move through during change:

Stage 1: Denial

This initial reaction often reflects disbelief or avoidance, with employees resisting the idea that change is happening. Comments like, “This won’t affect me” or “Things will go back to normal” are common. Leaders need to communicate clearly to prepare employees for what’s ahead.

Stage 2: Anger

Once the reality of the change sets in, frustration often follows. Employees may direct this anger at leadership, coworkers, or even the circumstances. Empathy and patience are key to helping employees work through these feelings constructively.

Stage 3: Bargaining

At this stage, employees may attempt to negotiate or delay the inevitable change by offering alternatives or seeking exceptions in hopes of avoiding its full impact. Leaders should listen to feedback, clarify expectations, and guide employees toward understanding the necessity of the change.

Stage 4: Depression

As employees fully grasp the implications of the change, some may experience sadness, loss or disengagement. Emotional support and opportunities for open dialogue can help employees regain focus and confidence.

Stage 5: Acceptance

In this final stage, employees accept the change and begin adapting to new ways of working. Leaders can shift from reactive support to proactive coaching, helping employees make the most of their new opportunities.

While often depicted in a linear sequence for simplicity, Kubler-Ross noted that individuals may not experience the stages in a fixed order. Instead, responses may overlap, repeat or cycle back, depending on the person and the situation.

The Kubler-Ross Change Curve

The Kubler-Ross Change Curve transforms the five stages of grief into a framework for understanding emotions while managing organizational change. It illustrates the emotional progression people experience, from initial resistance to eventual acceptance and adoption. Change practitioners may apply this model early in change initiatives, and as part of an overall organizational change management methodology, to identify barriers and tailor their approach to meet employees’ emotional needs at every stage.

Adoption of Kubler-Ross Model to Workplace Leadership

A people manager has day-to-day operational responsibilities, but during periods of change, your role expands into critical new dimensions. Supporting your team through the emotional and practical challenges of change requires more than process oversight—it calls for focused, empathetic leadership that makes employees feel heard, valued, and equipped to adapt.

Prosci’s Best Practices in Change Management research identifies five key roles that people managers must fulfill during change. Together, these roles form the acronym CLARC:

Communicator

A lack of awareness about why a change is needed is the primary reason employees resist change. Your role is to deliver clear, consistent messages about the change, so your people absorb the why, what and how of the transition.

Liaison

During any stage of change, feedback loops are critical. To help you team move forward, you have to be the bridge between your team and the project or leadership team. Sharing your team’s insights with decision-makers ensures that the change process reflects real needs and concerns. If you come back to your team with updates and solutions, it will strengthen their confidence in adopting the change.

Advocate

Anger and bargaining often involve frustration, fear or resistance, but your visible support for the change can inspire your team to engage with it rather than push back. Your words and actions set the tone—if you believe in and champion the change, your team will likely follow your lead.

Resistance Manager

Resistance often manifests during the anger or depression stages. Being a people leader involves identifying and addressing the root causes of resistance with targeted solutions to help your team navigate emotional lows and move closer to acceptance.

Coach

The final stage, acceptance, is where team members begin to internalize and adapt to the new reality. Helping your team process change also requires equipping them with the tools they need to succeed in this new environment. Providing training, resources, and hands-on support helps solidify the transition and fosters a sense of ownership and confidence in the new way of working.