Explore 20 reasons why employees resist change in the workplace. In recent years, technological growth, the Information Age, changes in global economy and the business environment have forced organizations to change the way they do business. Whether we like it or not, change is here to stay. Any companies that will not make changes risk being left behind, forgotten, competitors driving them out of business or possible closure. In companies, managers, and supervisors are the ones who have to implement the changes cascaded down to them by CEOs or Directors. However, the traditional skills possessed by most managers do not include that of being an effective Change Agent. In these rapidly changing times, a ‘change management’ skill is needed for managers more than ever before. To further compound the complexity of change in every organizations, employees do commonly resist change for different reasons. So, see the 20 reasons why employees resist change in the workplace and how to deal with resistance.

1. Reasons
Why Employees Resist
Change in the Workplace
20

2. Agenda
Catherine Adenle
What is Organizational Change and
why Change?
Facts about Change
Characteristics of Organizational
Change
20 Reasons why employees resist
Change
Dealing with resistance to Change

3. Adoption of a new idea or behavior by an
organization (Daft, 1995).
Changing an existing organization to
increase its effectiveness in achieving its
objectives.
Catherine Adenle
What is Organizational Change?

4. Catherine Adenle
Focus or response to external or
internal forces.
Changing customer preferences,
growth, expansion, norms,
economy and technological
innovations.
Why Organizational Change?

5.  In a recent study, 83% of CEOs
listed “Substantial Change” as their
biggest challenge.
IBM Global CEO Study
Catherine Adenle
 75% of corporate change
initiatives fail.
Harvard Business Review
 Amongst the CEOs who got fired
by the Board:
28% Mismanaged Change
26% Ignored customers
25% Tolerated low performance
21% Denied reality
Harvard Business Review
Facts about Change

6. Catherine Adenle
Facts about Change contd.
Source:
1) A.T. Kearney Best Practices Studies
2) Uttam Narsu, “Successful Change Management Requires Focus on Key Metrics,” Forrester Research, April 2004
3) Alison Classe, “Special Reports - Takeovers - Against Human Nature,” Factiva, May 2004
4) John Kotter, “Why Transformation Efforts Fail”, Harvard Business Review
Factors Influencing Successful Business Results1)

7. LEADERSHIP PROCESSES
AND
SYSTEMS
RESOURCES
POLICY &
STRATEGY
PEOPLE BUSINESS RESULTS
IMPACT AND
EFFICIENCY
CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION
PEOPLE
SATISFACTION
Enablers Results
Catherine Adenle
Characteristics of Organizational
Change

8. Catherine Adenle
6
Change Impact Dimensions
Characteristics of Organizational
Change contd.

9. Catherine Adenle
Involvement in Organisational Change
Characteristics of Organizational
Change contd.

10. Catherine Adenle
Resistance
Characteristics of Organizational
Change contd.
NEW BEGINNING

11. Catherine Adenle
Resistance to Organizational Change
Resistance
to Change
may be 2
types
1
2
Individual
Organisational

12. Catherine Adenle
1
20 Reasons why employees resist
Change
2
Loss of job
Bad
communication
strategy

13. Catherine Adenle
3
20 Reasons why employees resist
Change
4
Shock and fear
Loss of control

14. Catherine Adenle
5
20 Reasons why employees resist
Change
6
Poor timing
Lack of
competence

15. Catherine Adenle
7
20 Reasons why employees resist
Change
8
Office politics
Lack of reward

16. Catherine Adenle
9
20 Reasons why employees resist
Change
10
Loss of support
system
Former Change
experience

17. Catherine Adenle
11
20 Reasons why employees resist
Change
12
Empathy and
peer pressure
Lack of trust

18. Catherine Adenle
13
20 Reasons why employees resist
Change
14
Lack of
connections to:
Lack of people
aspect of Change

19. Catherine Adenle
15
20 Reasons why employees resist
Change
16
Poor planning
No clarity

20. Catherine Adenle
17
20 Reasons why employees resist
Change
18
Out of comfort
zone
Denial

21. Catherine Adenle
19
20 Reasons why employees resist
Change
20
Resistance is
normal
Loss of identity

22. Catherine Adenle
Ways of dealing
with resistance to
Organizational
Change
How to deal with resistance to
Organizational Change
2
3
1
4
5
6
7
8
Communication
Education
9
10
Participation and involvement
Negotiation and agreement
Explicit and implicit cohesion
Enablement plan
People and process alignment
Reward and recognition
Supportive culture
Training
10

23. CCCCatherine’s Career Corner
Catherine Adenle
http://catherinescareercorner.com
@catherineadenle