Article written by Tim Lopez
There will always be employees who resist change. Understanding why they are resisting and how to manage them is essential. There are several different reasons why people resist change in the workplace. The primary reason is that they don't feel comfortable with the change or don’t completely understand it and what that means for them.
Typical reasons employees resist change are:
Some personalities are inclined to resist change and, in general, resist any changes, whether they be professional or personal. It's important to remember that not all resistance is bad. In some cases, it can be helpful. Employees who voice their concerns early on can help to improve the change management plan. When employees start to resist the change, it becomes a problem actively. There are several different ways to manage employees who are resisting change.
The first step is to try and understand why they're resisting. Once you know the reason, you can start to address their concerns.
If you can identify the root cause of the resistance, you will be able to manage it effectively. Once you know why someone is resisting, you can start to craft a plan to address their concerns. Be perceptive about employees who seem resistant or unenthusiastic about changes being made. Try to get resistors on board with the change and provide extra effort to help them understand the need for change. Once you've identified the resistors, you must nurture the relationships and bring them on board. Remember:
It's crucial to manage resistors effectively to ensure the success of a change management project. There are several different ways to do this, but one of the most important is to onboard and manage resistors effectively. Early resistors willing to embrace change and eventually understand the need for change can be the best advocates for your project. Sometimes, providing more information about the change is enough to quell resistance.
Once you've identified the resistors, you need to develop a plan to address their concerns. The Stakeholder Assessment is a component of the Change Implementation Plan and should include:
Once you've developed the plan, you need to communicate it to all employees, including resistors. Make sure that everyone understands the plan and what their role will be in the change. Be sure to provide employees with the resources and support they need to successfully make the change. Manage the Communications.
Throughout the change initiative it's important to evaluate how it is progressing. This includes looking at how employees are handling the change and what could be improved or done differently time. It's important to ask employees for their feedback on the change and what they think of the process.
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