Resistance to change in organizational contexts

Resistance to Change

Change is the single most widely discussed and written about issue, which affects every facet of our lives whether professional or personal. No where is this 'change' a bigger problem than in the corporate sector where implementation of change can trigger massive resistance. Resistance in its turns gives rise to numerous other problems including loss of efficiency, productivity and revenues. Because of the potential pitfalls of resistance, every organization works hard to avoid it, in some cases with the help of hostile strategies. However resistance to change must not be 'resisted' because it is the natural and mostly a rational reaction to the introduction of something new, which threatens to erode the old and the familiar. Resistance, as long as it is rational and reasonable, must be carefully analyzed and addressed in order to discover the precise reasons behind it. Resistance is usually associated with some kind of fear and the validity of these fears must be seriously considered before resistance is discarded as a mere hurdle. In most cases, these fears are rational including job insecurity and learning anxiety and once corporate managers understand the nature of resistance, they can address and resolve the issue more effectively. However discarding resistance as nothing but an obstacle can lead to numerous problems later when employees refuse to cooperate and productivity suffers. Resistance helps in re-examining the corporation's need for change? Is it really needed? Will it really improve things at work? What if change is not introduced? These are the kind of questions that resistance brings forth and they must be truthfully answered before managers take the next step, which is addressing personal fears. If a firm is certain it needs change and its productivity will suffer without it, then it must carefully address employees' fears in the best possible manner. They should be reassured of their place in the firm. Apart from job security, learning anxiety is the most common reason behind resistance. Employees fear learning something new as it makes them vulnerable. "Most humans need to assume that they are doing their best at all times, and it may be a real loss of face to accept and even "embrace" errors. Adapting poorly or failing to meet our creative potential often looks more desirable than risking failure and loss of self-esteem in the learning process." (Edgar H. Schein, 1995) But managers need to address this problem by making learning process simple and easier. Resistance is therefore an important force, which can help a firm make transition process smoother and avoid unnecessary changes.