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Resistance is a factor that slows down change

One of the key factors that slows down company progress is employee resistance. Too often, management’s enthusiasm for a new project results in the employees who are directly affected by the change being more or less well-informed about the reasons for the change and, as a result, they oppose it.

Without communication without employee involvement, the project faces a major challenge, which is resistance by the employees who are directly involved. This phenomenon is normal and it is not an isolated case, but how can you minimize the impact and ensure success of the project?

If the change affects individuals directly, the human and psychological aspects are crucial factors that must be considered. After all, it is said that "resistance to change demonstrates the need for a reference point, and introducing a new work method that is not understood by its subjects too quickly threatens to upset the apple cart".

Reasons for the resistance

To start with, technological or other changes involve implementing new tools and methods and require new knowledge. Fear of the unknown or of losing skills easily becomes a major blocking point for the individual. Doubts about the reasons for the change also come into play.

Symptoms of resistance

Depending on the extent of the impact of change and/or of the resistance, this can be manifested in various ways:

• conflict
• departures
• absenteeism
• decrease in productivity

Here is a graphic that illustrates the interrelationships :

Factors for success

Hoping to completely eliminate resistance is unrealistic. However, it is possible to strategically manage change to prevent conflict. It may even be necessary to facilitate the switch from one situation to another by encouraging individual commitment to the change process. How?

• By properly informing employees of the need for change—communication.
• By involving employees in the implementation of the change—participation and consultation.
• By providing support to employees by devoting time to those who request or require it—support and training.
• By responding to employee’s needs through the change—negotiation.

Other factors to be considered

The leadership of the person in charge or leader of the project is essential. He must demonstrate knowledge of human resources while showing that he is competent at his job to maintain his credibility with employees affected by the change.

A major change also requires the constant involvement of an individual or the team responsible for the change. It is wrong to believe that a change that affects the culture, customs, values and continuity of an organization is possible without the constant involvement of management and related people. The time and resources devoted to the change are therefore key factors in the equation.

In the IT field, the project often involves a great deal of money. In addition to the application costs, training time can also be significant. It is therefore essential that this type of project be managed appropriately to ensure success. Rick Freedman has published an interesting article on the topic that you can read at this address http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/tech-manager/?p=710.

Remember that by participating in change, each person finds answers to their questions and doing so alleviates their concerns about the unknown. It would be best to communicate before the project starts rather than trying to recover from omissions during implementation.