Organizational Change
Management
(Change Resistance Management)
By : Noor Arafat & Farah Bustami
What is Organizational Change?
• It includes the management of changes to the
organizational culture , business
processes, physical environment, job
design , responsibilities, staff skills ,
knowledge and policies , procedures.
• It is generally considered to be an organizationwide change, as opposed to smaller changes such
as adding a new person.
What is resistance to change ?
• Resistance to change is the act of opposing or
struggling with modifications or transformations
that alter the status quo in the workplace.
Employee resistance
The top-four reasons for employee resistance were :
1. Lack of understanding around the vision
and need for change.
• Employees did not clearly understand why the
change was happening, nor did they have
adequate knowledge regarding the change itself.
Employees did not have the answer to the
questions “what’s in it for me?” or "Will I have a
job?," "How will it impact my daily work?,"
"How will I benefit from the change?".
The top-four reasons for employee
resistance :
2.Comfort with the status quo and fear of
the unknown.
•
The current processes and systems seemed fine
to the employees, and they were opposed to the
change since it forced them out of their comfort
zone. Uncertainty and fear of the new system
compounded the desire of employees to continue
with the “old way” to which they had grown
accustom.
The top-four reasons for employee
resistance :
3.Opposition to the new technologies,
requirements and processes introduced
by the change.
• Employees were opposed to changes that
increased the performance and process
measurement of their work. The change was
seen as adding unwanted work, responsibility
and accountability
The top-four reasons for employee
resistance :
4.Fear of job loss.
• Some employees felt that the change would
eliminate the need for their job, while others
were unsure of their own abilities and skills in
the new environment.
Manager resistance
The top-four reasons for manager
resistance to change were :
1.Loss of power and control
• Changes often eliminated something the
manager had control of or introduced something
that the manager would not have control over
and some participants indicated that the change
was even perceived as a personal attack on the
managers.
The top-four reasons for manager
resistance to change were :
2.Lack of skills and experience needed to
manage the change effectively.
• Managers were fearful of the new demands that
would be placed on them by the business change.
Several skill areas were identified as areas of
concern. First, managers were uncomfortable with
their role in managing the change. Some feared
recrimination while others did not have the
experience or tools to effectively manage their
employees’ resistance. Managers also were
concerned about the demands and responsibilities
placed on them by the new business processes,
systems or technologies.
The top-four reasons for manager
resistance to change were :
3.Fear of job loss.
• Managers felt that the business change would
ultimately impact their own job security. Middle
management is often the victim of large-scale
business change. One participant reaffirmed this
fear:
“They were eliminated in the change, so no
resistance was recorded.”
The top-four reasons for manager
resistance to change were :
4.Disagreement with the new way.
• They did not feel that the solution was the best
approach to fixing the problem. They had this
skepticism about the need for change (
they were not convinced of the need for change ).
Questions we need to ask ourselves
after doing a change :
• Was it successful? Did it go smoothly?
• What were your feelings early on? Later?
• What did the people around you say about it?
Life Cycle of Resistance to Change
The response to change tends to move through a life cycle
of 5 phases:
Phase 1.
• Only few people who see need for change.
• Resistance appears massive
Phase 2.
• Forces for and against change become
identifiable.
• Change more thoroughly understood.
• Novelty of change tends to disappear.
Phase 3.
• Direct conflict and showdown between forces.
• This phase probably means life or death to
change.
Phase 4.
• Remaining resistance seen as stubborn.
• Possibility that resisters will mobilize support to
shift balance of power.
Phase 5.
• Resisters to change are as few and as alienated
as were advocates in first phase.
Major Factors Affecting Success of
Change :
•
•
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•
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Advocates of change
Degree of change
Time frame
Impact on culture
Evaluation of change.
Major Factors Affecting Success of
Change :
Major Factors Affecting Success of
Change :
• Advocates of Change
Person leading change program is often most important
force for change.
Internal or external OD practitioners may be brought in
to assist.
• Degree of Change
Is change minor or major?
The greater the degree of change, the more difficult it is to
implement.
• Time Frame
Greater chance of success if change is gradual and in longer
time frame.
Some organizations only chance for survival depends on
radical change introduced swiftly.
Major Factors Affecting Success of
Change :
• Impact on Culture
The greater the impact on existing culture, the
greater the resistance and difficulty to
implement change.
• Evaluation on Culture
Standards of performance developed to measure
change and impact on organization.
Two major considerations in
organizational change are :
• Degree of change.
• Impact on organization’s culture.
• Minor change, minor impact on culture. Resistance
will be at lowest level and success will be most
probable.
• Minor change, major impact on culture. Some
resistance can be expected.
• Major change, minor impact on culture. Some
resistance is likely. Good management can probably
overcome it.
• Major change, major impact on culture .The greatest
resistance can be predicted. The probability of
success is low.
Strategies to Lessen Resistance :
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Do change management right the first time
Expect it
Address it formally
Identify the root causes
Engage the �right� resistance managers
Education and communication.
Create a vision.
Participation and involvement of members.
Strategies to Lessen Resistance :
• Facilitation and support.
• Negotiation and agreement.
• Leadership.
• Reward systems.
• Explicit and implicit coercion.
• Climate conducive to communications.
• Power strategies.
The End