CHALLENGE OF FACING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE

The Case:
The role play enacted dealt with the challenges faced by the organizations in general and the
resistance in adjusting to the introduction of new technology in particular. The scenario was that of
an Indian organization where a project manager from a different country was handed over the
responsibility of introducing new technology to the employees working in the company for over 2
decades.

Scene 1:
The new VP of the company briefs the employees about the new policy of the introduction of the
latest technology to help the company grow and keep pace with the global world. She promises
them support and also asks them for their cooperation.
Scene 2:
The new Team lead introduces herself to the employees and asks them to accept the change so that
the company can grow to new heights.
Scene 3:
This scene shows 2 employees who have been working in the company for 20 years suddenly facing
this new technology. Though they have been handed the instruction manual having technical
instructions to operate the new machinery, one employee is not comfortable and considers the
change as an excuse for the company to get rid of the existing employees and bring in a new work
staff. His colleague accepts the change and tries his hand at the new technique. He also tries to
motivate the other employee by stating that this measure is necessary for the company but fails.
Scene 4:
The Team Lead asks the employees whether they are facing any problem with the new technology.
They say they are comfortable with it.
Scene 5 (4 months later):
The VP calls the Team Lead to her office where the Team lead is shocked to hear that the sales have
fallen by a considerable amount in the past quarter.

Understanding:
Introduction of any change cannot be sudden. It should be gradual and the reason for its
introduction should be communicated properly to the employees. This helps allay their fears and
they should also be given an opportunity to voice whatever concerns they have so that there is a
proper understanding at both ends. Resistance is an inevitable response to any major change. The
success or failure of an organization depends on the behaviour of its employees towards it. Also the
culture of the organization should be considered to maintain individual productivity and motivation.

In this case, the Team lead should have tried to motivate the employees further and understand
their predicament. Of the 2 employees, one was clearly motivated but the other wasn’t. Also since
the Team Lead herself was new to the company, the VP or some senior management could have also
had a discussion with employees directly to understand their views and to explain to them what the
company and they themselves stand to lose if the change failed. This feedback could have been used
as the basis for strategies to deal with that resistance. If they would have done this, there could
have been a better result for the company as the employees would have given their best.

The best way to bring about change is to first gain the support of the people who will be affected by
it, and the people whose support is needed to implement it. At all stages of the change process, it is
advisable to seek areas for agreement. In a summary, by seeking consensus, acknowledging
feedback, and communicating effectively, organizations can meet resistance successfully.