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Causes of Resistance To Organizational Change
Causes of Resistance To Organizational Change
PS PERSONAL NOTES
The main reasons for resistance to change are both individual and organization. The research
document of individual and organizational behavior has found that organization groups and
individuals resist change. Resistance to change provides a degree of stability and
predictability to behavior, as it does not allow immediate change. If there was no resistance to
change the organization will take on characteristics of chaotic randomness.
There may be reasons for resistance to change for analytical purpose, lets us categories the
causes into the following.
1. Individual Resistance.
2. Group Resistance.
3. Organizational Resistance.
1. Individual Resistance
Individual arise due to differing perceptions, personalities and needs. Some of these reasons
appear to be rational and emotional. These reasons are listed below,
The economic reasons for the resistance to change may be the following:
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PS PERSONAL NOTES
Workers resist the changes which lead to high standards which in turn may reduce the
opportunities for bonus or incentive pay.
1. Habit: All human being are creatures of habit. Individual generally feel comfortable
in the environment that they are habituated to. The modern life is very complex and
no one likes to consider the full range of option for the hundreds of decision which
has to be made everyday. Instead we rely on habit or programmed responses. When
confronted with change, the thought if moving away from the environment they are
accustomed to become a source of resistance.
2. Insecurity: Safety and security are high priority for every individual. One of the
major reasons for resistance to change is uncertainty about the impact of change,
especially on the job security. When employees feel that the security of the job is
threatened by change, they resist it. The fear unknown always has a major impact on
the decision of the individual.
3. Lack of Communication: If the workers are given an opportunity to participate in the
process of change, the resistance is likely to be less. But if the change is not properly
communicated that to in an acceptable manner to the employees, it is likely to cause
resistance.
4. Extent of Change: If there is a minor change and the change involves only the
routine operations the resistance will be minimum or no resistance. But in case of
major changes like reshuffling of staff will lead to major visible resistance. Similarly
the process of change is slow; the resistance will be less as compared to rapid or
sudden change.
One of the major reasons for resistance can be emotional turmoil that a change may cause
especially if the past experiences with the change have not been positive. The psychological
reasons for the resistance to change are:
Workers may have the fear that the new job will bring boredom and monotony as a
result of specialization brought by the new technology.
Change in technology brings new method of doing the job and it must be learnt and
adopt the new ideas of doing the job. To learn these ideas they need work hard and
they do not want to take the trouble in learning new things.
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PS PERSONAL NOTES
The workers may be incapable of understanding the implications of new ideas and
method.
Workers may not like criticism implied in a change that the present method is
inadequate and unsuitable.
New changes may lead to reduction of the personal pride of the workers because they
fear that new work changes will do away with the need for much manual work.
Every individual have social needs like friends, belongingness, etc. In organization, while
working employee develop social relationship with the other employees. They become
members of certain informal group. The change will bring a fear in mind of people because
generally people dislike with for new adjustment, breaking present social relationship reduce
social relationship, feeling of outside interference in the form change agent etc.
2. Group Resistance
While working in an organization the employee form informal group in the organization. The
most organizational change has impact in informal group in the organization. Breaking up a
close knit work group or changing social relationship can provoke a great deal of resistance.
The main reason why the groups resist change is that they fear that their cohesiveness or
existence is threatened by it. This is particularly true in case of group which are very cohesive
where people have a strong case of belongingness to group and where member consider the
group as superior to the other groups.
3. Organizational Resistance
Organizational resistance means that the change is resisted at the level of the organizational
itself. Some organizations are so designed that they resist new ideas, this is specifically true
in case of organizations which are conservative in nature. Government agencies want to
continue doing what they have been doing for a number of years even though there is need
for the change in their services. Majority of the business firms are also resistant to changes.
The major reasons for organizational resistance are:
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