People resist change because it is seen as a threat to familiar patterns of behaviour as
well as to status and financial rewards. Joan Woodward (1968) made this point
clearly.
When we talk about resistance to change we tend to imply that management is always rational in changing its direction, and that employees are stupid, emotional or irrational in not responding in the way they should. But if an individual is going to be worse off, explicitly or implicitly, when the proposed changes have been made, any resistance is entirely rational in terms of his own best interest. The interests of the organization and the individual do not always coincide.
Specifically, the main reasons for resisting change are as follows:
● The shock of the new – people are suspicious of anything which they perceive will upset their established routines, methods of working or conditions of employment. They do not want to lose the security of what is familiar to them. They may not believe statements by management that the change is for their benefit as well as that of the organization; sometimes with good reason. They may feel that management has ulterior motives and, sometimes, the louder the protestations of managements, the less they will be believed.
● Economic fears – loss of money, threats to job security.
● Inconvenience – the change will make life more difficult.
● Uncertainty – change can be worrying because of uncertainty about its likely impact.
● Symbolic fears – a small change that may affect some treasured symbol, such as a separate office or a reserved parking space, may symbolize big ones, especially when employees are uncertain about how extensive the programme of change will be.
● Threat to interpersonal relationships – anything that disrupts the customary social relationships and standards of the group will be resisted.
● Threat to status or skill – the change is perceived as reducing the status of individuals or as de-skilling them.
● Competence fears – concern about the ability to cope with new demands or to acquire new skills.
Operational change
Operational change Operational change relates to new systems, procedures, structures or technology which will have an immediate effect on working arrangements within a part of the organization. But their impact on people can be more significant than broader strategic change and they have to be handled just as carefully.
When we talk about resistance to change we tend to imply that management is always rational in changing its direction, and that employees are stupid, emotional or irrational in not responding in the way they should. But if an individual is going to be worse off, explicitly or implicitly, when the proposed changes have been made, any resistance is entirely rational in terms of his own best interest. The interests of the organization and the individual do not always coincide.
Specifically, the main reasons for resisting change are as follows:
● The shock of the new – people are suspicious of anything which they perceive will upset their established routines, methods of working or conditions of employment. They do not want to lose the security of what is familiar to them. They may not believe statements by management that the change is for their benefit as well as that of the organization; sometimes with good reason. They may feel that management has ulterior motives and, sometimes, the louder the protestations of managements, the less they will be believed.
● Economic fears – loss of money, threats to job security.
● Inconvenience – the change will make life more difficult.
● Uncertainty – change can be worrying because of uncertainty about its likely impact.
● Symbolic fears – a small change that may affect some treasured symbol, such as a separate office or a reserved parking space, may symbolize big ones, especially when employees are uncertain about how extensive the programme of change will be.
● Threat to interpersonal relationships – anything that disrupts the customary social relationships and standards of the group will be resisted.
● Threat to status or skill – the change is perceived as reducing the status of individuals or as de-skilling them.
● Competence fears – concern about the ability to cope with new demands or to acquire new skills.
Operational change
Operational change Operational change relates to new systems, procedures, structures or technology which will have an immediate effect on working arrangements within a part of the organization. But their impact on people can be more significant than broader strategic change and they have to be handled just as carefully.
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