Why do people resist change?
There are many reasons why people resist change, many of which involve some sort of loss. The reasons below don't just apply to frontline employees; leaders and managers at all levels are just as prone to resistance for the same reasons.
Here are 3 of the most common reasons why people resist change:
They fear that they will be worse off
If people think they will be worse off as a result of change, they will naturally resist it, particularly if they have been successful under the current arrangements. After all, why would you participate in something that may have negative consequences for you?
This includes:
- Fear of job loss/redundancy
- Fear of losing authority and/or status
- Fear of losing financial benefits
- Fear of failure (i.e. being unable to adapt and/or being less successful after the change)
- Having to do more work
They lack confidence in the change
If the organisation has a history of failed change initiatives, or the people leading the change lack credibility, people are unlikely to get onboard with the change.
They disagree with the change strategy
People may agree with the need to change but disagree with the change itself. Resistance of this nature is generally for two reasons:
- They have legitimate concerns about the change being the right change.
- They were advocates for a different change solution that was not selected.