Digital transformation is high up on many organisations’ list of priorities. However, driving company-wide change is not an easy feat.
Employees may resist change for many reasons. When they choose not to engage or to resist new processes or systems, organisations fail to drive their digital transformation projects. This, in turn, prevents them from further propelling their business growth, so they end up wasting their technological investments.
So, how can organisations manage employee resistance to change? They key is to understand how employees feel about change and to help them deal with it.
How do employees react to organisational change?
It is important to understand how exactly employees feel when they undergo change in the workplace. Once leaders and managers understand these emotional factors, they can tailor their change management activities to help their workers understand the need for change and contribute positively to the transformation initiative.
When looking at change from the “people” angle, we need to appreciate that emotions play a huge role in people’s responses to all our business change activities. Communication, transparency and clarity, for example, are key. These these all need to be underpinned with empathy and understanding for everyone’s different perspectives.
Here, we look at some of the psychological and emotional aspects of change and see how effective communication can play a key role in addressing them.
- Fear of the unknown
One of the most significant emotions employees feel when dealing with organisational change is anxiety. When they are unsure how a new system, tool or process will affect their role, they are more likely to resist the change.
The emergence of Generative AI based productivity tools is a perfect example here. According to an APA survey in 2023, nearly 4 in 10 U.S. workers are scared that AI will render their jobs obsolete.
Clear communication about the reasons for change, the business and individual benefits, the vision for your end state and the support available to employees can all help alleviate anxieties and uncertainty.
- Loss of control
Change can cause employees to feel a loss of control over their environment, leading to resistance as they seek to reestablish stability. When changes are implemented without their input, employees may feel powerless and push back.
To mitigate these feelings, it is crucial to involve employees in the change process and actively seek their feedback. Open conversations and seeking their input empower them and therefore reduces potential feelings of powerlessness .
Importantly, when employees are consulted as part of a change exercise, they must be circled back to and kept informed regarding how their input has shaped the plan and why. Without this activity, that initial set of conversations may feel like a meaningless gesture, which can damage employee confidence in your organisation’s capability to manage change in the longer term.
- “I like how things are now!”
Employees may resist new processes and systems because they are comfortable with the existing ones. They are often reluctant to relearn new tools and procedures, believing that their current systems are already effective.
Communicating the need and advantages of change at the individual level is vital here. Business benefits are all well and good, but if a process is changing with no benefit to the individual involved then this becomes a much harder conversation. This should also be an opportunity to provide reassurance and support during the transition, ensuring individuals know they’re not going to be left to tackle new ways of working alone.
- Lack of understanding
Managers and leaders must clearly communicate why they are changing something. Transparent communication about the goals, objectives and expected outcomes of the change helps individuals understand the purpose and relevance of the change. This helps unite your workforce and make sure the entire company is working toward the same goal.
Having a united leadership vision, along with support for managers throughout your organisational structure, is key here. It’s very easy for organisational messaging and purpose to become muddy when working in silos. Having a cohesive change management strategy across your organisation helps keep employees grounded in a shared understanding of their purpose and direction.
- Suspicion or doubt
Trust in leadership significantly influences how change is perceived. If employees doubt their leaders’ intentions or abilities, they are more likely to resist changes. On the other hand, when trust is established, employees are more likely to support and engage with change initiatives.
Building trust involves consistent and transparent communication, demonstrating competence and showing genuine concern for employees’ well-being. Providing consistent, accurate information, clarifying misconceptions and highlighting successful examples of change implementation builds trust within the change process.
- Stress
Change causes employees stress. They may be worried about adjusting their established work routine, learning a new tool or process on top of dealing with their current workload, being reassigned to a new team and other changes to their normal day-to-day life at work.
Managers can help their team members manage stress by providing sufficient training and continuous support through dedicated help desks, online resources and peer support groups.
Additionally, employee assistance programs often provide resources for stress management or access to counselling. These should all be leveraged, and everyone should be made aware of all the resources at their disposal.
Above all, stress caused by a significant workplace change should not be looked down upon or treated lightly. If stress is poorly managed, the long-term impacts on employees’ mental and physical health can be significant. This issue cannot be overlooked.
Manage Change Effectively and Strategically
Organisations cannot successfully roll out a new tool, technology or process without user adoption. They cannot drive user adoption without helping employees manage the complicated emotions and perceptions they have about the change being implemented.
As such, organisations must employ a solid change management strategy, including communications, monitoring, managing resistance and user enablement, in every project they want to pursue.
Additionally, improving employee confidence in the organisation’s capability to handle significant change also enables them to maximise their technology investments and effectively implement innovations that take their business to new heights.
If you need assistance building and executing your change management strategy for your next technology implementation or transformation, contact us today to book a consultation or download our eBook “Driving Seamless Change: The Role of Adoption and Change Management in Digital Transformation” for helpful tips and advice on how to effectively manage organisational change.
