SNCO Global

Resistance to Change

  • There are a lot of ways that an organization can experience and practice change.

  • Due to the unforeseen circumstances, we’re going through, it has become imperative to bring a change in the system of working for any entrepreneur.

  • Resistance to change is as much an organizational and group issue as it is an individual issue.

  • Several types of change to be encouraged are:

ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE

  • Organizational inertia is the tendency for an organization as a whole to resist change and want to maintain the status quo.

  • Companies that suffer from inertia become inflexible and can’t adapt to environmental or internal demands for change.

  • A culture that promotes high levels of trust and cooperation lays the foundation for employees and their acceptance and instigation of change.

  • If employees are punished for honest mistakes, if new ideas aren’t rewarded, and managers aren’t prepared for daily issues with proper training, then that organization is ripe for change resistance.

  • Thinking about the order and timing of a planned change can also help managers avoid employee resistance.

GROUP RESISTANCE

  • Central norms in a group can be difficult to change because they involve the group’s identity.

  • Any change to them is likely to be resisted, as group members will work to protect each other and preserve the group.

  • A cohesive group looking to implement change can typically overcome any one individual member’s resistance to it.

INDIVIDUAL RESISTANCE

  • Change means learning new habits and facing new situations.

  • Learning new skills comes with the uncertainty of being able to master those skills. It’s easy to see why change can seem threatening.

  • Culture, personality, and prior experiences can contribute to one’s level of acceptance where change is concerned.

These ways can help you to encourage change in your organization:

  • Education and communication: If there is fear of the unknown, organizations shouldn’t compound that with a lack of information. Face-to-face meetings, newsletters, and updates can often help reduce those fears.

  • Participation and involvement: People who participate in change are less likely to resist it. Managers can involve employees in the change process, creating ownership around it that minimizes resistance.

  • Facilitation and support: This requires active listening and counseling. These methods can be highly effective when dealing with individual resistance but are time-consuming and run a high risk of failure.

  • Negotiation and agreement: This approach recognizes the role and power of others in the success of the change effort. Trade-offs and incentives are offered in exchange for acceptance.

  • Manipulation and cooperation: Changing employee’s focus and attention to other issues can be a quick and easy way to minimize resistance to change, but it can lead to mistrust and resentment on behalf of those manipulated.

  • Explicit and implicit coercion: If there’s no time and no choice, managers can rely on force to push past change.

To know more about change, you can read this article :Resistance to Change

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