Some Additional Insights on Resistance

1. Resistance is often a form of protection, not opposition

Research shows employees resist to protect:

• Their identity (“Who am I in this new structure?”)
• Their competence (“Will I still be good at my job?”)
• Their status or credibility
• Cherished routines that provide psychological safety

Implication: Address identity shifts explicitly, not only process changes.

2. Change fatigue is a major driver of resistance

There can be cumulative fatigue from constant restructuring, digital upgrades or strategic pivots.

Why it matters: Even a well-designed change fails if people are simply exhausted.

Strategy: Space out initiatives, reduce noise, provide recovery periods.

3. Informal networks (“the shadow organisation”) strongly influence resistance

Key influencers in the social network are not necessarily managers; these influencers often dictate how change is received.

Strategy: Map informal networks and recruit influential staff (informal leaders) as change ambassadors.

4. Resistance often reflects loss of trust, not loss of will

If employees have experienced:

• Broken promises
• Failed previous changes
• Inconsistent leadership

They can become distrustful of any new initiative.

Strategy: Acknowledge past failures openly; rebuild psychological contracts.

5. Middle managers are the strongest choke points

Research consistently confirms that middle managers can be the biggest resisters because they carry:

• Increased workload
• Ambiguity about their new role
• Pressure from above and below

Strategy: Provide targeted coaching for mid-level managers, not just frontline training.

6. Resistance is often rational, not emotional

People resist because they spot:

• Unrealistic timelines
• Lack of resources
• Poor sequencing
• Unclear benefits
• Hidden agendas

Strategy: Treat resistance as an expert insight that may reveal flaws in the change plan.

7. Organisational justice can predict acceptance

Research distinguishes 3 injustices:

• Procedural justice (Is the process fair?)
• Distributive justice (Are outcomes fair?)
• Interactional justice (Am I treated with respect?)

Low fairness will result in high resistance.

Strategy: Build fairness into decisions, communication and resource allocation.

8. Neurological threat responses drive resistance

Need to understand neuroscience (SCARF, amygdala hijack, etc).

Brain science shows change triggers threat responses when people feel loss of:

• Status
• Certainty
• Autonomy
• Relatedness
• Fairness

Strategy: Use psychologically safe communication, predictability and involvement.

9. Micro-resistance is more important than overt resistance

Most resistance is quiet:

• Slowing down work
• Withholding information
• Minimal compliance
• Passive disengagement

Strategy: Monitor early behavioural signals, not just vocal complaints.

10. Resistance often arises from poor sensemaking rather than poor attitude

If people cannot make coherent sense of the change narrative (“What does this really mean?”), they default to resistance.

Strategy: Provide clear storylines: link purpose to logic to benefits to implications.

11. Team norms override individual attitudes

Even enthusiastic individuals may resist if their team norms discourage change.

Strategy: Work at the team level, not just individual or organisational level.

12. Hybrid and remote work amplify resistance mechanisms

Remote employees face:

• Reduced informal communication
• Lower psychological safety
• Greater ambiguity
• Weaker social reinforcement for change

Strategy: Increase clarity, structure, and relational touchpoints in hybrid contexts.

(main source: Kamal Naghili, 2025)