Resistance & Types of Resistance to Change

Phases of transition: * Past : Denial & Resistance * Future: Exploration & Commitment

Benefits of resistance: * encourage management to re-examine its change proposal * identify specific areas where change is likely to cause difficulties * encourage to be on top of communicating change * provides information about the intensity of employee's emotions on an issue * encourage employee to think and talk more about change

Steps in managed change: * develop new goals & objectives * select an agent for change * diagnose the problem * select methodology * develop a plan * strategize the implementation of the plan * implement the plan * receive and evaluate feedback

How to Make the Change Permanent * use of group forces * use of leadership * shared rewards * work with unions * address employees' concerns

These factors are mediated by Individual Differences: * perception * job experience * social support * belief in locus of control * self-efficacy * hostility

Impact of stress Physiological symptoms: * headaches * blood pressure * heart problems Psychological symptoms: * anxiety * depression * decrease of job satisfaction Behavioural symptoms: * productivity * absenteeism * turnover

Stress and Change Management It happens when an individual is confronted with an opportunity, constraint or demand related to what he/she desires and for which the outcome is perceived uncertain and important

Model of Stress: Potential Sources: Environmental factors: * Economic uncertainty *Political uncertainty *Technological change Organizational factors: * Task demands * Role demands * Interpersonal demands Personal factors: * Family factors * Economic factors * Personality

Individual approaches to managing stress * implementing time management * increasing physical exercise * expanding social support network

Organizational approaches to managing stress * improved personnel selection & job placement * training * use of realistic goal setting * redesigning of jobs * increased employee involvement * improved organizational communication * establishment of corporate wellness programs

* Be open & honest * Don't leave openings to return to the status quo * Focus continually on the positive aspects * Develop training programs that focus on basic skills: conducting meetings, communication, team building, self-esteem, coaching * Phase the change wherever possible * Allow employees to redefine their roles during the course of implementing change

Overcoming resistance to change: * education & communication * participation & involvement * facilitation & support * negotiation & agreement * manipulation & co-optation * explicit & implicit coersion

Change is an alteration in the way employees must perform. When change happens it requires employees to make new adjustments and seek a new equilibrium. Disequilibrium occurs when employees are unable to make adequate adjustments

Resistance to change happens when employees' behaviours discredit, delay or prevent the implementation of work change

Sources of Individual Resistance * selective information processing * habit * fear of the unknown * economic factors * security

Sources of Organizational Resistance * Threat to established resource allocations * Structural inertia * Limited focus of change * Group inertia * Threat to expertise * Threat to established power relationships

Causes of resistance * interference with need fulfillment * selective perception * habit * loss of freedom * economic implications * security in the past * fear of the unknown * threats to power * knowledge/skill obsolescence * organizational structure * limited resources

Stages of resistance to change: * Stability * Immobilization * Denial * Anger * Bargaining * Depression * Testing * Acceptance

Sources of resistance: rational or emotional Rational: * people don't have enough information or proper knowledge to evaluate the change Emotional * fear, anxiety, suspicion, insecurity are evoked because of people's perception on how the change will affect them

Strategies to reducing resistance: * Engage interested parties in the planning for change by asking their suggestions and feedback * Communicate the need for change clearly in a written form and personally * Address the 'people needs' of those involved * Disrupt only what needs to be changed * Help people keep friendships, comfortable settings & group norms wherever possible

10 Strategies to Overcome Resistance * address personal concerns first * link change to other issues people care about * tap into people's desire to avoid loss * tailor information to people's expectations * group your audience homogeneously * take advantage of people's bias: buy now, pay later * make the change local & concrete * appeal to the whole brain * beware of overloading people * know the pros and cons of your change

Types of Resistance: Logical or Rational Resistance: * based on disagreement with facts, logical reasoning, and science * occurs because time is needed to adjust to change Psychological or Emotional Resistance * based on emotions, sentiments, attitudes * internally logical from the perspective of employees who may fear the unknown, distrust management's leadership, feel their security is threatened Sociological or Social Resistance * product of a challenge to a group norms, interests or values

Employees may resist because change threatens their: *job security * social interaction * status * competence * self-esteem

Types of organizational resistance: * Blind resistance * Political resistance * Ideological resistance