MANAGING RESISTANCE

TO CHANGE

Session 2
Effects of Change
 Operational effect
 Typewriter
 Computerization
 Automation

 Psychological effect
 Fear, anxiety
 Joy, satisfaction

 Social effect
 R&D team shifted to production facility
 Interaction with IT team
 Spectrum of possible behaviors toward change

Enthusiastic cooperation
Cooperation under pressure from management
Acceptance Acceptance
Passive Resignation
Indifference
Indifference Apathy; loss of interest in job
Doing only what is ordered
Regressive behavior
Non learning
Passive Resistance Protests
Working to rule
Doing as little as possible
Active Resistance Slowing down
Personal withdrawal
Committing errors
Spoilage
Deliberate sabotage
Resistance to change
Explicit Implicit
 Strikes  Decreased motivation
 Slowdowns  Decreased loyalty
 Complaints  Errors
 Lockouts  Absenteeism
 Foot dragging

Which is more difficult to cope?

Why individuals resist change?
 Selective perception
 We all view things differently
 Lack of information
 Fear of unknown
 How will automation affect job security?
 Habit
 Resentment towards the initiator
 Timingand implementation often lacks concerns for the
people expected to carry it out
Why organizations resist change?
 Power maintenance
 Structural stability
 Imparts predictable behavior and hence resist change
 Functional sub-optimization
 Different functions may view change differently
 Organizational culture
 Group norms
 Groups often sub optimize the organizational interest
for their own self interest
 Overcoming resistance to change
Approach
Education & Communication
Participation & Involvement
Facilitation & Support
Negotiation & Agreement
Manipulation & Cooptation
Explicit & Implicit Coercion
Commonly Used
When there is lack of information or inaccurate information
and analyses
• Where the initiators do not have all the information they
need to design the change
• Where others have considerable power to resist change
When people are resisting because of adjustment problems
• When someone or some group will clearly lose out in a
change
• Where others have considerable power to resist change
• Where other tactics will not work or are too expensive
• e.g. telling to take a pay cut to avoid shutting down,
providing benefits to the resistant parties
•Where speed is essential
• where change initiators possess considerable power
• e.g. coercion to shut down plant, pay cut or layoffs
Minimizing resistance to change
 Resistance to change by those affected is the single
most formidable obstacle to its successful realization
 Resistance to the change is not the fundamental
problem to be solved
 Instead the managers need to focus on the
situational and environmental factors that cause
resistance
 Many of these factors are directly within
management’s power to control or influence
Methods to overcome resistance
A. Compulsion, Threat & Bribery
 Managers using their authority can threaten subordinates
with disciplinary actions
 Can sabotage the change to such an extent that no benefits
would be realized
 Bribing subordinates also may not produce long lasting
benefits of change
 This approach attack the resistance rather than its causes

 This approach creates new set of problems and the ethical

code of conduct is compromised.

Outright use of this approach is NOT RECOMMENDED

Methods to overcome resistance
B. Persuasion, Rewards & Bargaining
 Attacks the root cause rather than symptoms of
resistance to change
 Offering a reward (monetary/non monetary)

commensurate with change in effort can be a

powerful instrument in bringing change
Monetary Rewards Non Monetary Rewards
Improved Pension Scheme Impressive Job Title
Increased compensation Better Perks
Enhanced Medical Insurance Inclusion in certain meetings/DLs
Better holiday plan Education & Training
Methods to overcome resistance
 Bargaining is a process based on the discussion
between management and those affected by change
and/or their union representatives
 The essence of bargaining is compromise
 To maximize the achievement of goals both parties
should give way to some of the points on which they
would have liked to secure agreement
 The success depends on how successfully management:
 Matches rewards offered to the employee’s needs
 Considers all their complaints and suggestions
 Gives concession to achieve major part of the objective
Methods to overcome resistance
C. Security & Guarantees
 Reassurance aimed at reducing the fear of
insecurity esp. fear of redundancy
 Fear of inability heightens the insecurity

 Management must hold discussion to dispel fears

resulting from misunderstanding and lack of
information
 Training and guarantee of continued income and
job security an do away such fears
Methods to overcome resistance
D. Flexibility and the tentative approach
 It is often desirable to introduce change initially as
a tentative trial effort
 Involved people can test their reaction to the new

situation before committing themselves permanently

 Less likely to regard the change as threat

 Management can assess the change and can make

necessary modification