Overcoming Resistance to Change

The one constant in the business world is change.  All managers will implement changes as part of their responsibilities.  Some of these changes will be small and some will be large.  Inevitably some people will resist these changes.  They will either resist them openly, or more subtlety.  Every manager will benefit from a discussion of why people resist, how they resist, and what the manager can do to overcome this resistance.

Some managers think that people resist all changes; that any attempt to upset the status quo will be resisted.  Try offering to raise everyone's salary by 15% and see how much resistance is created.  People tend to resist changes that they perceive will threaten something they hold to be valuable.  To some this might be a comfortable routine, to others it may their status in the organization, to some it may be their proximity to peers or coworkers,and to still others it may be their physical location or environment.

What are some changes in the workplace that can cause people to resist?

1. Location - This means the physical location of the work.  It can range from moving to a different office on the same floor to moving to another city to consolidate factories or offices.  In the extreme case of moving to another part of the country the person may or may not have an opportunity to move with the job.
2. Role - If a person, or group of people are asked to perform work that was not in their job description previously. It could be more work, or just different work.
3. Process - This is probably the biggest area of change in the workplace.  How things are done changes.  This could be a result of any number of causes, from a new strategic direction, to just the whim of management that is hoped to make the organization more efficient or profitable.
4. Standards - Customers are constantly asking for better and better products and services.  Sometimes performance that was once acceptable, is no longer acceptable.
5. Organization - Personnel changes often cause resistance.  A person in the group is promoted, the colleagues of a person are moved around, or reporting structures change and a department is assigned under a new manager.

Why do people resist?

1. Current routine and environment is comfortable.
2. Worry about job security or pay security - Companies have not demonstrated a great deal of loyalty to employees and management makes changes to be more efficient.  Being more efficient is often viewed by employees as a euphemism for impending layoffs.
3. Worry about reduced actual or perceived status - This is particularly true for employees who have gained their status over a long period of time by doing things the way they are done.  What if some of their function can be automated, or eliminated. 
4. Worried that workload will increase
5. Doubt about advertised benefits of the change - A manager should fully communicate  the benefits of any change, but must be careful not to exaggerate or oversell.  Everyone knows that whatever sounds too good to be true, probably is.
6. Distrust of management - If management has been in place for a long time and has demonstrated that they have the employees best interests at heart, then changes will be have less resistance initially.  However, many changes come with new management, or there has never been good open communication between workers and management.
7. Decisions were made without their participation - As we will discuss shortly, one of the ways to reduce resistance to change is to involve as many people as possible in the reason the change is needed, the desired result of the change, and implementation of the change.

What are ways that people react to change?

1. Aggressive resistance (Resistor)
1. Strongly resisting either verbally or by actions - This is the manager's nightmare.  If this person can influence enough people in the group, they can derail the change.
2. Saboteur - The saboteur is actually easier to deal with if they can be caught.  Unfortunately the saboteur is not always easy to identify.
2. Passive Resistor  (Fence Sitter) - This person is not in favor of the change, but is not openly resisting it.  They are not, however, embracing the change and are doing nothing to further the implementation.
3. Passive Acceptor (Fence Sitter) - This person may be in favor of the change, but if there is a critical mass of detractors, they will not want to be seen as against them.
4. Active Acceptor (Champion) - This person sees the value of the change and is whole heartily in favor of it.  The champion is a person that can influence the fence sitters in a positive way.

What can a manager do to overcome, or reduce, the resistance to change in their organization?

1. Prepare the team for the change.
1. Discuss the reason for the change and why it is important.
2. Discuss the objectives or outcome of the change in terms of benefits.
3. Be open and realistic about the risks and obstacles.
4. Be open about any negative aspects of the change.
5. Consider and use input from all stake holders.
6. Provide training - A common cause of new procedures not being followed is that employees have not been adequately trained on them.  The more effective and extensive the training, the higher the probability for success.
7. Identify an implementation team
1. Include Champions, Detractors, and Fence Sitters
8. Provide a timeline and milestones.
9. Establish success criteria.
10. Provide a realistic view of the future state.
2. Identify what is really changing -  Minor modifications may be viewed differently than wholesale changes.  For example: a new form is being used, but the underlying program is unchanged.
3. Identify and emphasize what is not changing - Especially if rumors are rampant about the impending changes.
4. Identify those people and job functions most impacted by the change - It is not uncommon for people to resist a change that doesn't affect them in the least.  If the manager can state definitively which jobs or functions will experience changes and which will not, they can head off some resistance.
5. Identify what will be perceived as both good and bad results of the change - Don't sugar coat what will be perceived as a bad result of the change.  It does make sense to highlight how the benefits outweigh these negative or unpopular results.
6. Identify Champions, Detractors, and Fence Sitters - Try to determine who will help and who will hinder the change process.
7. Enlist Champions - Get these people on the team as soon as possible.  Ask them to speak with their peers to gain favorable momentum for the change.
8. Lobby fence sitters.
9. Focus special attention on the biggest detractors.
1. Clarify more
2. Listen to their concerns
3. Involve them in the planning and implementation of the change. Value their input
10. Make every effort to minimize the effect of the change while realizing the full benefits.
11. Don't just listen to, but strive to understand the reasons for the resistance.
12. Be willing to learn and adjust as you implement the change.
13. Weigh benefits compared to problems - A partial implementation is sometimes more desirable than a derailed or aborted change.  Consider taking what you can get and moving on to the next biggest issue.
14. Evaluate the implementation and results after the change is made.
15. Formalize lessons learned for the next change effort.