Critically analyze the issue of resistance to change and discuss ways of handling it, at an individual and group level
Introduction
Modern organizations operate in social-economic environments that are in a perpetual state of change, and globalisation has opened up closed cultures and triggered social and economics changes in the business environment and workplace, where organizations must come up with strategies that will ensure competitiveness.
People are social beings, and it is in human nature to resist change; they are afraid of change whether it is within their personal life, or in the employment setting. Organizational development comes in to try and bridge the gap created between employees and the new strategies.
An analytic and critical view about the complexity and ways to overcome resistance to change are the focal points of the essay.
Discussion
Resistance to change
Change is at times necessary and unavoidable due to increased dynamism, which currently pervades the corporate world. According to Kotter (1979) most organizations need to undertake moderate changes once a year and major changes every five years. To be at par with the rest of the business world and cope with competitivity are among the top reasons to change.
However not all change should be reactive; to crisis, to new technologies, growing opportunities and costumers needs. In order to achieve competitiveness, change should also be proactive by challenging the “status quo” and leading organizations to a step ahead.
Resistance to change is a complex issue, because we are dealing with human beings (reactions sometimes may be more rational or more emotional), and can be addressed in a number of perspectives.
Because of its multi-faceted approach, resistance becomes problematic to define and questions as individuals respond in what way to which change situations has not yet been successfully answered.
However, in this paper, resistance to change is the sum totals of the behaviours that are acted out by the recipients of change so as to slow down, stop or even fail an intended organizational change (Hughes, 2010).
At the individual level, resistance is a natural reaction either the discomfort or uncertainty of change. People often have trouble visualizing how change can positively or negatively impact their future (Kanter 2012). As such, they tend to cling to the status quo as a way to feel secure rather than face the unknown.
Loss of control interferes with an employee’s autonomy and may make them feel that they are losing control over their turf. (Kanter 2012). Employees tend to work towards their personal interest rather than those of the firm, resulting in resistance to change in order to seek their own good rather than the organizations good (parochial self-interest).
Without sharing the same information, or just because they disagree different assessment of the planning change might occur ,leading to resistance. People do not see the need for change, and they...
