Introduction
Organizational change is an inevitable part of today’s dynamic business environment. Whether it’s implementing new processes, technologies, or strategies, organizations must continually adapt to stay competitive. However, change is not always met with open arms by employees, as they may resist or oppose it for various reasons. Understanding the causes and consequences of resistance to change is crucial for organizations to effectively manage and navigate the complexities of change implementation (Kotter and Schlesinger, 2008). In this essay, we will explore how and why resistance to change impact the application of the selected organizational change, drawing upon relevant research and literature in the field of organizational change management.
Resistance to change
One of the major challenges in implementing planned organizational change is dealing with resistance from employees. Resistance to change often occurs because individuals fear losing the status quo or are uncertain about the potential impacts on their roles and responsibilities (Mushtaq, 2020). By understanding and addressing the underlying causes of resistance, organizations can enhance the likelihood of successful change implementation and facilitate the transition process for all stakeholders involved.
Continuing with the topic of resistance to change in the context of planned organizational change, it is important to recognize that resistance can come in many forms. Sometimes, employees may simply be resistant to specific changes in procedures or technology. Other times, resistance may be a more general resistance to change as a whole. Regardless of the cause, it is crucial that organizations address the underlying reasons behind this resistance if they hope to succeed in implementing any sort of change.
Importance of Organisational Change
Resistance to change can significantly influence the application of planned organizational change in some ways. First, it can create delays and disruptions in the change process. When employees resist change, they may be less willing to adopt new processes, technologies, or structures, resulting in resistance or pushback. This can slow down the pace of change implementation and create challenges in achieving the planned milestones or deadlines.
Second, resistance to change can increase the costs associated with change implementation. For example, if employees resist a change in technology, it may require additional resources to provide training or assistance to help them adjust to the new system (Kotter and Schlesinger, 2008). Resistance can also result in increased turnover or absenteeism, leading to higher recruitment and training costs.
Third, resistance to change can lead to decreased morale and motivation among employees. Change can create uncertainty, stress, and anxiety among employees, which can negatively impact their job satisfaction and engagement. If employees feel that their concerns or opinions are not heard or considered, they may become demotivated or disengaged from the change initiative. Furthermore, resistance to change can create a negative work environment and culture. When employees resist change, it can create a sense of negativity, conflict, or even hostility towards the change initiative (Kotter and Schlesinger, 2008). This can result in a toxic work environment where employees are resistant, skeptical, or openly oppose the changes, creating a challenging atmosphere for change implementation.
There are several reasons why resistance to change occurs in organizations. One reason is the fear of the unknown, as employees may feel anxious about how the change will affect their roles, responsibilities, and job security (Mushtaq, 2020). This fear can lead to resistance, as employees try to protect their comfort zones and perceived stability. Research by Kotter and Schlesinger (2008) highlights various types of resistance to change, including fear of loss of job security, fear of loss of expertise, fear of change in routines, fear of loss of control, and fear of change in interpersonal relationships.
Another reason for resistance to change is a lack of awareness or understanding about the change initiative. If employees do not perceive a compelling need for change or do not comprehend the advantages of the proposed change, they may resist it (Kotter and Schlesinger, 2008). Lack of clear communication, inadequate explanation, or insufficient involvement of employees in the change process can contribute to this resistance.
Additionally, resistance to change can arise from employees’ attachment to existing ways of doing things or a sense of ownership towards current processes or structures. Employees may have invested time and effort in developing existing systems or may feel emotionally attached to their established ways of working (Kotter and Schlesinger, 2008). The proposed changes may be seen as a threat to their expertise, status, or autonomy, leading to resistance.
How Resistance to Change Impacts Implementation
Types of Resistance to Change
Logical and rational resistance include disagreement with facts about logic and science. The psychological type is founded on emotion, whole the sociological happens when something challenges the group.
Psychological and Emotional Factors
Psychological barriers are also conditioned by personality characteristics – relatively stable mental states, manifested in the passivity of the individual, which prevents the successful implementation of certain actions. Psychological barriers are always associated with a specific employee and act as an internal inhibition mechanism that prevents change (Mushtaq, 2020). Rejection of change sometimes arises due to the lack of prior information.
Behavioral and Operational Change
Operational changes imply changes in the structure and development of the production process, for example, through the introduction of new fixed assets in production. Behavioral changes represent a change in the organization as a whole when it decides to radically change, up to a change in the direction of development and specialization.
Reason for Resistance to Change
Leadership
The manager should strive to ensure that the system can work without his participation. However, the changes may be connected to a new leader who cannot be fully accepted. In the period of changes, new leaders need to navigate the process and encourage their followers.
Loss of Familiarity and Routine
It signifies that the employees have been working a lot in the same environment without changing their routine (Mushtaq, 2020). Taking them out of it, can result in resistance to change since leaving a comfort zone is time-consuming.
Perceived Negative Impact on Job Security
Another reason to increased resistance is negative impact on job security. For instance, if the company is exposed to financial crisis it will likely rely on the previous strategies to overcome it.
Lack of Communications and Involvement
Finally, poor communication and lack of involvement is a reason to change. Yet many companies cannot build trustworthy relationship due to personal bias.
Strategies in Managing Resistance to change
Communication and Transparency
Transparency throughout the entire production cycle is necessary to build a strong brand with an engaged and loyal audience. Communication has always been an important part of internal communication, but now its significance is even greater, and it needs to be practiced with higher intensity. People are naturally prone to seek acknowledgement and validation of their actions. That is to say, there is an understanding that their activities are in line with company’s expectations, and that they are in the right direction in achieving their objectives.
Employee Involvement and Participation
Creating such a sense of involvement for each employee requires not only free lunches or interesting work benefits, but also the management team is obliged to focus on the specific and individual needs of each member of the company.
Training and Support
Staff training is a continuous process of employees gaining new knowledge, mastering new skills and techniques of work. Increasing the level of knowledge, working out the mechanism of action in emergency situations or training teamwork ultimately bring only advantages to both the employer and employees.
Addressing Concerns and Fears
Integrity is a key priority of numerous organizations because it implies speaking about concerns and fears. By creating a trustworthy connection, people can solve emerging issues.
Conclusion
In conclusion, resistance to change can significantly impact the implementation of planned organizational change. It can create delays, disruptions, increased costs, decreased morale, and even failure of the change initiative. The fear of the unknown, lack of awareness or understanding, attachment to existing ways, and a sense of ownership are some of the reasons why resistance to change occurs in organizations. To mitigate resistance, organizations should focus on effective communication, involvement of employees in the change process, providing training.
Reference List
Kotter, J. P. and Schlesinger, L. A. (2008) ‘Choosing strategies for change’, Harvard Business Review, 86, pp. 7–8.
Mushtaq, S. (2020). Resistance to organizational change. successful implementation of change through effective communication. Grin Verlag