![]() Trust is crucial when making organizational change. An existing lack of trust between the manager initiating change and the workers expected to implement it exacerbates this misunderstanding.įor example, if the auto worker believes that the new technology he is being asked to use will reduce the time it takes to do the job, he may believe that his job is threatened – or that he will lose overtime and experience a cut in earnings – no matter what the manager says. ![]() Misunderstanding and lack of trustĪ lack of understanding about the implications of the change is also a driver of resistance to change. The worker will come up with reasons why the new way of doing things will not work, and small errors and any downtime will be blamed on the change. He feels that his voice is no longer heard, because of the new reporting line put in place. In our example, the worker is losing his direct relationship with ‘the boss’. Eventually this develops into group resistance to change. People focus on their own self-interests ( every stakeholder has their own agenda) and not the best interests of the organization. When someone believes they may lose something valuable as a result of the change, they are likely to resist the change. Using our example of change, we can see how different types of resistance to change develop. Schlesinger concluded that there are four common situations in which people’s resistance to change germinates and grows: In their work on resistance to change theory, John P. This is a social change that completely alters the perspective of the worker. Now, let’s consider that the worker is not only required to do things differently but also must adhere to imposed working routines and has a new line of report – to a supervisor rather than the senior manager as before. This may cause some resistance to change among those who are unsure of their ability to develop new skills, but there is no resulting social change. The only thing that is really changing is that the worker must learn a new technical skill to do the job he has always done. He continues to liaise with the department’s manager. He remains responsible for reporting issues. The worker is responsible for his routine. However, the reporting line and responsibility remain unchanged. Let’s consider that the auto worker is asked to do things differently. It is this type of change that evokes the most severe resistance to change. In such transformation, you may also witness social change – the way the worker interacts with others and the relationships they have. He must learn these skills, but the operation is the same – fixing the wheel to the axle. Instead of using his strength to tighten the nut on the bolt, the worker uses different skills. If that worker is then given a technologically advanced tool to do the job, that change is operational. For example, in an auto manufacturer a production worker may use a manual spanner to fit wheels to an axle. Within the organizational context, operational change can be explained as what we do and how we do it. Understanding the difference between the two is critical to managing resistance to change in an organization. The first is operational (or technical) and the second is social. There are two facets to organizational transformation. ![]() Types of change: operational change vs social change With a forward-looking and proactive strategy, resistance is first reduced and then eliminated. Overcoming resistance to change in the workplace doesn’t have to be a constant battle in a market environment where businesses are in constant flux. Even though these teams are designed to provide maximum flexibility in a constantly changing environment, it is likely that an organization will still experience resistance to change. In modern organizations with flatter hierarchical structures, these high-impact teams are smaller, more agile, and themselves structured to benefit from individual specialization without regard for a ‘pecking order’. Creating collaborative teams with collective goalsĪ short while ago I discussed the challenges and attributes of high-performing teams. We explore the types of change, discuss what makes people react the way they do to transformational efforts, and describe strategic and tactical approaches to overcoming resistance to change in the workplace. In this article, you’ll learn techniques to manage resistance to change more effectively. When striving for a successful transformation we must consider the different perceptions of those initiating change, implementing it, and being impacted by it. For employees, this can be difficult to manage and upsetting. In today's world, change is the only constant that surrounds us. Organizational transformation is difficult
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