Conversations with Kay: Resistance to Change

Conversations with Kay: Resistance to Change: Why do people resist change and how can a leader decrease resistance? “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” ...

Practical Strategies to Manage Self-Care

Physical and mental wellbeing is created by a phased multi-faceted self-care strategy. There are five key suggested elements for self-care plan include:

• Stress Reduction / Management
• Self-Efficacy
• Psychosocial Support
• Appropriate Work / Rest Schedule
• Mindfulness and Meditation Activities

Below are some practical strategies for promoting self-care while reducing the effects of stress reactions. For more information, read Managing Stress and Self-Care At Work on the Mental Health Corner page.

Understanding Employees' Resistance to Change

4 -Step Quick Reference Guide

“Employees should not feel change is happening to them but rather they are a part of it.”

– Dr. Kay

Employees’ resistance to change efforts is normal and should be expected as a part of the change. Leaders and designated agents of change need to understand what resistance is, why it happens, and best practices to combat resistance throughout the change process. This will help drive understanding, adoption, support, and maintain adoption by employees.

Step 1: Understand what resistance to change is and its causes.

Resistance to change occurs when an employee or group performs an action(s) that is opposing or struggling with the changes that may alter the workplace.

Some of the common underlying causes of resistance are:

1. Fear, anxiety, and insecurity about the change
2. Confusion or lack of awareness and understanding of why the change is occurring
3. Degree of impact on the current role and/or responsibilities
4. Lack of organizational support of the change efforts
5. Negative outcomes of past project release i.e. loss of jobs or position

Step 2: Understand why resistance occurs.

Resistance and degrees of resistance to change efforts can occur at any time throughout the life cycle of the project.

Step 3: Learn what does resistance looks like.

Resistance can be manifested in many ways including covert (subtle behavior changes) or overt (publicly and/or verbally), at a group or individual level. All types of employees can experience or manifest some form of resistant behaviors at any time during the project life cycle. Below are some common behaviors that you may notice:

1. Decrease in participation in key activities
2. Excessive complaints or spreads rumors about the pending changes
3. Does not provide requested information or resources
4. Disruptive behaviors during and/or after meetings

Step 4: Deal with resistance in a timely and effective manner.

By understanding the underlying causes and behaviors of resistance, you can help your business area and the program team to create an effective change strategy to address, prevent, and/or decrease resistance enterprise-wide. In addition, feedback from resistant employees can be helpful in identifying areas of concern, new end-user groups or additional required resources.  

Methods to support employees during the change process:

You can’t always make employees feel comfortable, eliminate resistance, or agree with the change. However, you can help to create an atmosphere where employees feel they are a part of the change rather than the change is happening to them to increase acceptance as well as adoption. This will help to minimize and/or decrease the level of resistance of an employee.

Some effective methods include:

1. Continuously communicate about change efforts and the program your organization is implementing (I recommend branding and marketing campaigns)
2. Continuously engage and involve employees during the change process, especially when implementing the solutions to resistance  
3. Encourage employees to submit questions, concerns, and feedback to the program leadership and team in a timely manner
4. Look, Listen, and Act: Look for signs and listen for things that are not going well, resistance, and/or what is working
5. Create an effective Change Network of employees at all levels: Leadership, Manager/Supervisors, and Employees and meet often
6. Incorporate an evaluation of the Change Network’s effectiveness into your measurement plan, make changes as need

By: Dr.  Kay Lackey