Increasing Urgency While Fighting Inertia and Resistance to Change

When a change is necessary within an organization, measurements must be taken in order to implement this change. However, before implementing any type of change, it is important for the organizational manager to employ tactics in order to overcome complacency and resistance to change. According to the textbook, education and communication, participation and involvement, supporting employees, negotiation and agreement, are very useful tactics to be used to minimize resistance to change.

Educating employees about the change and informing them why the change is necessary, showing them the outcomes of the change and in what way would the organization be benefited form it, will for sure be welcomed by the employees, and will make it easier for the employees to accept the change. If an employee is asked to comply with the a new change inside the organization, this employee will more likely resist this change, simply because he/she may think that this change is not necessary. But when the employee is aware of the change and why it is happening, then his behaviors will change.

Engaging employees in the design process of the change and getting them involved in the change effort will motivate employees to want to change instead of resisting it. Employees like to feel that their work is appreciated, and when they are involved in the change process, then they will also feel that they are part of this process. This acknowledgment will decrease resistance to change and encourage employee’s understanding.

Supporting employees throughout the change process will make employees more comfortable with the change. When the manager shows his support, that will help employees to deal with their fears and anxieties during the transition period. “Managers should be sure to provide employees with the resources they need to make the change, be supportive of their efforts, listen to their problems with empathy, and accept that their performance level may drop initially” (Managing...