Importance of Change in the Workplace and Ways to Overcome Resistance

My Reflection
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My Reflection
From what I have observed, many organizations know the importance of change in the workplace, but most of the time, the change meets some level of resistance. After learning about why people resist change and how to overcome them, I feel it is essential to talk about them and how I understood them. They can also be beneficial for organizations trying to bring change in their workplace. In business, there is no choice; you have to change to survive (Ali et al., 2016). However, when imposing such changes, we are bound to face some resistance or barriers. Various types of organizational change exist (Georgalis et al., 2015). Organization can change their use of technology, strategy, culture or structure, or any combination of these. Comprehending how the organization will change, how the change will affect the people involved will make it easier for the change to happen and to anticipate what barrier may arise (Ali et al., 2016). The implementation process has to address specific factors, such as if the people are ready to change and to what extent, and whether the process threatens them in any way (Georgalis et al., 2015). Resistance can slow down or delay the change process, hinder implementation, and increase costs (Ali et al., 2016). Why do people resist? Four reasons exist why people resist change.
* Low tolerance for change involves a person’s ability to change and transition through the change process smoothly.
* Dissimilar opinion- Shareholders may disagree that those initiating changes are not doing it the right way or the change will not solve any existing problem (Georgalis et al., 2015). In this case, resistance may highlight issues that have not been agreed upon.
* Self-interest- naturally, people tend to fear the impacts of change.
* Misunderstanding and untrustworthiness-most people think that the management does not have their best interest at heart (Georgalis et al., 2015). This can be solved by having effective communication between the involved parties.
Ways to overcome resistance
If new initiatives seem to linger before they start, this can be an indication of resistance. Even that resistance is not that bad, falling to change in the business entity can be detrimental (Ali et al., 2016). Numerous researches have shown that failure to change is due to resistance from the employees. There are various ways to overcome resistance while initiating change.
* Pinpoint the members who support the change - They act as the advocates for the new ways (Georgalis et al., 2015). Because they are part of the team and speak the same language as their colleagues, they should participate in forums about the change. This will lessen the resistance because their colleagues can relate to them.
* Linking the change to issues or things that employees care about - Relating a change to issues that employees care about increases the importance of that change. By illustrating how change is linked to other issues that are already in the minds of employees makes them less resistant and gives a positive response (Ali et al., 2016). For instance, combining a change with job security will likely receive a positive reaction because the employees will feel safe and assured.
* Having an open conversation - Stating how the change will happen, when and what facets will change, builds certainty among the employees (Georgalis et al., 2015). Research has shown that employees are more likely to feel stressed when not in control (Ali et al., 2016). Naturally, employees assume the worst possible result when they do not know the details. It is advisable to provide additional information on any point that has not been adequately defined.
* Offering resources involved in the change - One of the barriers employees experience in the face of change is the lack of adequate resources to implement the change. Employees may lack the equipment to handle or make a change (Georgalis et al., 2015). This can be solved by providing equipment, training classes, and anything that will help them excel and adapt to the changing environment. They should be helped to be more effective and efficient employees before, during, and after the changes.
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