Resistance to Change

Introduction

"Resistance to change is the act of opposing or struggling with modification or transformations that alter the status quo in the workplace." (Healthfield 2012) Resistance to change manifests itself in many forms from the individual to the group organized together against the change. It can be expressed verbally, publically or through seemingly innocent actions or conversations with their coworkers. There is resistance to almost every change and this resistance can have huge impacts upon your business. Resistance can cause delays with the implementation of new innovations, lower productivity, quality, or cause diminished relationships between management and staff.

Levels of Resistance

While resistance may manifest itself in any number of fashions, it's typically divided into three levels that may be encountered within an organization.

Level 1: Information based

Employees lack the necessary information needed to understand the reason behind the change or the positive impact expected once the change has been completed. Addressing this level of resistance is handled by providing the information that is missing. Focusing on communication through presentations or publications can be the most beneficial course of action for weakening this level of resistance.

Level 2: Physiological and Emotional Reaction to Change

Employees presenting this level of resistance are often feeding that resistance with fear. They fear loss of power, position, influence, control, friends and possibly their job. This level of resistance is not fueled by logic but by emotion. Often the manifestation of the resistance is often subconscious and involuntary. It may be seen as a "fight or flight" mindset where they are preparing for the worst and holding onto the familiar (resisting the change) to avoid that worst case scenario. This level of resistance is best handled by meaningful dialog with your employees and finding out what worries or fears are behind the resistance. Addressing those fears is the only way to help eliminate or weaken this form of resistance.

Level 3: Bigger than the Current Change

Employees don't have to be resistant to the idea or concept or even to the means used to achieve the desired results. They may be resistant to the very person responsible for the change or the group represented by that person. This resistance may be based on history with the person or group or loyalty to a predecessor. This level of change is fueled by the relationships both past and present between management and staff. Dealing with this level of resistance requires that those relationships be evaluated and often rebuilt based on the new ideas. In some instances it may be impossible to break the link between the old relationship and the new.

Weakening the Resistance

A change proposed within an organization can be met with any combination of these resistance levels. The same change can cause resistance to formulate across different subgroups at one or more levels of resistance. In most instances, addressing resistance is a matter of communication but Level 3 resistance offers additional problems that simple communication cannot always resolve. As stated, Level 3 resistance is often very personal and is not resistance to the idea or plan but the people themselves. I've witnessed this level of resistance most often within organizations and businesses that are implementing new management, merging with other organizations, or under new ownership. It's even more common amongst long term employees that may have developed loyalty to a previous owner or management team. Most changes won't encounter Level 3 resistance but when they do it's important to see how it differs from other Levels of resistance. Managers encountering this type of resistance must be prepared for setbacks and accept that they may not be able to get everyone on board and supportive of the proposed or necessary changes. Some steps for managers to consider include:

1. Start small. Seek out minor victories against the resistance by focusing on individual points of agreement. Use these agreements as building blocks to piece together bigger ideas and allow gradual acceptance of the change.

2. Communicate. As with other levels of resistance, communication is necessary to ensure the success of the intended changes. For this level of resistance, communication must confront the issues and address the concerns of employees. If the resistance is fed solely by habit or routine of the past, this communication must explain the benefit of the change on both a company level and as it would impact the individual.

3. Avoid Negativity. Employees who have loyalty to previous owners, former management, or longstanding ideas are going to be more resistant to changes that are presented by attacking what they know. Focus on how the change produces positive results and avoid discussions that claim the old methods or management was