Arjun Singh Rathore
No. No Sir, but I will try to complete/achieve it. It sounds some kind of negativity and resistance but practically these words and the attitude behind is that people have actually started on their journey to change. In today’s business environment, the survival and sustenance of any organization depend upon its ability to introduce a successful change. Everything will change because change is everywhere, including in an organization. Changes are made so that the organization remains dynamic, while at the same time to improve organizational progress and employee’s performance, adapt to the environment, and change behaviour patterns in the workplace.
Whenever a change is introduced into the organization there will inevitably be resistance to it. Whether it is a change to an ITSM process, a change in supporting technology, or a service improvement initiative, it will impact people and therefore resistance to change will occur. Every person is different and will react to change in a different way.
Resistance to change has a long history primarily rooted in the field of organization development and change. How resistance is viewed, managed, and studied regarding organizational change is a highly relevant topic.Dynamic, unpredictable, and unrelenting change is normal and often accompanied by resistance or a lack of change. Resistance can be reasonable or unreasonable and can be expressed visibly or silently.
Resistance to change is common and can come in many forms. It can be subtle or overt, and it can be seen in either individuals or groups of people. Some examples might be missed meetings, sarcastic remarks, criticism, nit-picking, or even sabotage. The good news is, no matter what form it manifests, overcoming resistance to change is possible. However, organizations need to first understand the causes of resistance to more effectively address it.
One reason for resistance to change is a lack of trust in the leadership, team or the company as a whole. A lack of trust can have implications for turnover as well as employees giving leadership the benefit of the doubt when issues do arise.
Employees who resist a change initiative are often responding more to the person in the leadership position rather than the change itself. This comes about if those in leadership positions have not yet earned the trust of the employees, like when there is a new leader within the organization. It can also come about as a result of previous experiences that have caused employees to distrust leadership.
Lack of communication can greatly impact even the most well-thought-out and planned organizational changes. It is important to cultivate a culture of transparency whenever feasible and to share information as often as possible with employees, especially when trying to navigate a change. Without it, employees can become defensive, lack trust in leadership, and not have adequate time to process the information, which leads to further pushback.
Emotions such as fear, uncertainty and worry are a part of any organization and those that are employed in them. Employees might not be able to articulate how they are feeling. And ignoring or avoiding such emotions does not make them go away. In fact, they are sure to surface in other (often confusing or overwhelming) ways if not addressed proactively.
Change can bring about a fear that it will be unsuccessful or that the individuals involved will personally fail as a result of the changes that were made. Employees often worry this will negatively impact their performance reviews, their job security, and even have implications for pay. In turn, this can lead to poorer outcomes at work, in both output and the quality of the work being completed. Fear has both physical and mental implications.
Some people like to be surprised, but many do not, particularly when most of the employees have families and responsibilities as first priority outside of work, that they have to manage in addition to their jobs. They want predictability, including the ability to schedule their time accordingly. There is a natural law that explains this called homeostasis. It is the concept that there is a drive to get to a neutral or stable place. Implementing change can disrupt this potential homeostasis, causing alarm bells to go off.
Organizations can sometimes overlook the need to space multiple changes out. If you are constantly changing programs, leadership, or systems, employees are less likely to fully adapt to and accept future change. Timing of changes is important in order to minimize resistance to them.
Resistance to change is unwillingness to adapt to new circumstances or ways of doing things. It can happen with individuals, relationships, or within organizations. There are many reasons for resistance, but at its heart, resistance is rooted in fear of the unknown. Yes, resistance to change can be beneficial as it encourages critical thinking, sparks innovation and alternative solutions, ensures thorough evaluation of the change, and helps identify potential risks or unintended consequences.
Change can be hard for both employees and employers but with some planning and anticipation, it can be effectively managed. Keeping an early communication and often involving key stakeholder as part of the change, especially with those, who are trusted by colleagues, can help others adapt more readily. Listen to employee’s concerns, as there is a good chance that they may be more in tune with a plan’s potential blind spots given their day-to-day experience. Educate employees on the value of the change. When we name emotions, we move the emotional response from an internal state (which is harder to address) to something outside the individual. Once feelings are out in the open they can be worked through. Timing is everything, it isn’t always possible, but sometimes it is the best for organizations, to methodically introduce change and wait until that has stabilized before introducing further change. Once a change has been made, make sure to follow up with employees as those changes roll out. Let them know that they continue to be important partners in making effective changes that will stand the test of time. Provide training for any new skills needed to make the change successful.
To conclude we must understand that resistance to change is a good thing and it is a normal response. If people are resisting change, it means that people have actually started on their journey to change. They are no longer in denial that a change is happening but have recognised that they are going to, need to change and adopt a new way of working. If people are in denial or ignoring the change, then it is a problem and a bad thing. If they are resisting the change, then they are proving their constancy with the organisation and is a good sign of their involvement for a better change!
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