Factors why people resist to change

Reduce Costs and Delivery times. Delight Customers. All these values must be improving faster than any existing or future competitor. The survival of your organisation and the job security of your people depend upon you improving these values faster than any existing or future competitor. Watch the video to see where my confidence comes from. This is critical in the process of change. Keeping adults out of important facts is treating them like they are little children who lack the brain capacity and skills to come up with good ideas and suggestions.

They also choose their own managers and evaluate them publicly. We need to involve them long before the process of change is started. Then I am sure you will find enough desire in your people to create the neccessary change, and more, much more good things for the future!

The analysis and listing of reasons for resisting change are all valid. However the tone of the article is about changing someone else. All of us, everyone who is one this forum has resisted change ans still resist change in some for or other. It is often true that we people who advocate change for others forget to apply the same principles in our lives. In fact talking about issues of change becomes an escape for us to making that change in us. Some year ago when I used to work with an organization some of my colleagues used to complain that nothing is going to happen here.

Real Change can only happen when one is ready to risk everything for that cause. It seems to me I was exposed to a new one during my last assignment. Thanks for sharing those ideas to us! I do all agree with the 12 reasons for resistance to change. Thanks for packing this info, great job of keeping it simple. As you suggest — true engagement, from the get-go, is the key to successful change.

Change is not easy and it has advantages and disadvantages. A good leader should anticipate this and be prepared for resistance.

I agree that organizational change management is the best way to deal with change effectively. Organizational change management is the discipline of leading change. It is an executive or management function and it aims to reduce resistance and teach people how to accept change and embrace innovation. The classic reactions to change show us that it is not an easy task as it involves emotions such as anger, denial, confusion and depression.

That is why it should be handled carefully and it requires planning and organization. The first and most important reason for resistance to change as mentioned is misunderstanding the need for change. That is why it needs to be communicated carefully to staff and faculty members. Mar, Here comes the role of change management as it strives to reduce that uncertainty and reassure staff and faculty members.

As you mentioned, it is better to anticipate objections rather than put out fires because if rumors spread it would be difficult to contain the situation. Not only will rumor spread, but this may lead to fears such as job loss or other challenges that may result in the resignation of some staff members. Low trust is also a problem, and this is when the management is not clear about the reasons for change. With this there is no accountability and it will lead to the loss of trust and that will lead to resistance and rebellion.

Toggle navigation. Top 12 reasons why people resist change. Home Blog Change Management. Organizational change — Reasons why people resist change Expecting resistance to change and planning for it from the start of your change management progamme will allow you to effectively manage objections. Especially from those who strongly believe the current way of doing things works well…and has done for twenty years! Fear of the unknown — One of the most common reasons for resistance is fear of the unknown.

People will only take active steps toward the unknown if they genuinely believe — and perhaps more importantly, feel — that the risks of standing still are greater than those of moving forward in a new direction Lack of competence — This is a fear people will seldom admit. We love them. They make us secure. People who are overwhelmed by continuous change resign themselves to it and go along with the flow. You have them in body, but you do not have their hearts.

Motivation is low Change in the status quo — Resistance can also stem from perceptions of the change that people hold. Tags Organizational Change. About The Author Torben Rick Experienced senior executive, both at a strategic and operational level, with strong track record in developing, driving and managing business improvement, development and change management.

Next Post. Previous Post. Blog Comments. Duncan Brodie, May 24, Surabhi, May 24, Norm Nopper, May 24, Loss of face. By definition, change is a departure from the past. When change involves a big shift of strategic direction, the people responsible for the previous direction dread the perception that they must have been wrong. Leaders can help people maintain dignity by celebrating those elements of the past that are worth honoring, and making it clear that the world has changed.

That makes it easier to let go and move on. Concerns about competence. Can I do it? Change is resisted when it makes people feel stupid. They might express skepticism about whether the new software version will work or whether digital journalism is really an improvement, but down deep they are worried that their skills will be obsolete. Leaders should over-invest in structural reassurance, providing abundant information, education, training, mentors, and support systems.

A period of overlap, running two systems simultaneously, helps ease transitions. More work. Here is a universal challenge. Change is indeed more work. They should reward and recognize participants — and their families, too, who often make unseen sacrifices. Ripple effects. Like tossing a pebble into a pond, change creates ripples, reaching distant spots in ever-widening circles. The ripples disrupt other departments, important customers, people well outside the venture or neighborhood, and they start to push back, rebelling against changes they had nothing to do with that interfere with their own activities.

Leaders should enlarge the circle of stakeholders. They must consider all affected parties, however distant, and work with them to minimize disruption. Past resentments. The ghosts of the past are always lying in wait to haunt us. The fear of the unknown always has a major impact on the decisions of the individuals. New technology, new procedures, new systems can all create uncertainty and hence resistance to change.

Not knowing exactly what the change would bring about makes the employees anxious and apprehensive about the change. Many people, indeed, have lost their jobs when a plant became automated or an office became computerized. If the need for the change is not communicated to the workers in time and in an acceptable manner, then it can lead to resistance. A sense of participation in the change process by the employees reduces the extent of this resistance.

If the changes are minor and involve routine operations, then the resistance, if any, would be minimal. However, if the changes are major such as reshuffling of staff, then the resistance will be highly visible. Similarly, slow changes in the process result in lower resistance than sudden or rapid changes. Sometimes, individuals -resist change because the group to which they belong resists it.

The individuals usually comply with the group norms and codes and support the group attitudes and activities. This resistance is commonly seen in union strikes when some individuals, even when they do not agree with the reasons for the strike, go along with it so as to fully support the group to which they belong.

One of the major reasons for resistance centres on the emotional turmoil that a change may cause, especially if the past experiences with changes have not been positive. This results in misunderstanding and lack of trust so that even when the change is well intended; its significance is misinterpreted, leading to resistance. For example, rumors about mass layoffs due to a technological change can lead to a great deal of resistance against this change.

Hence the emotional responses must be properly diagnosed and predicted and all efforts should be made to alleviate any fears that the employees may have regarding the consequences of any change. There are times when a change will reduce the power base of an individual, group or unit and the prospect of such loss of power will create resistance, even though such change may be considered good for the organization as a whole.

Downsizing of a department or a programme can create loss of influence for some people which may be resented, leading to resistance. It the change is considered or perceived to be a threat to the individual or the group, it can result in implicit defensive behaviour such as loss of loyalty to the company, loss of motivation to work, persistent reduction in output, excessive absenteeism, sudden hostility, increase in errors and so on.

It can also result in overt defensive behaviour such as civil disobedience, strikes; slow down of work or aggressive unionism.