(More On Resistance Cont 6)

Best Practice for Dealing with Resistance to Change (7)

Every organisation is unique and its uniqueness needs to be understood and leveraged.

i) address the social aspects of change (change can be seen as a threat to the status quo, ie the way things are done here, impact on power and influence status, long-standing traditions and habits, relationships (formal and informal) , etc)

iii) identify any existing trust issues and be transparent (usually there is an inherent mistrust of management by staff and change can accentuate this; transparency is a way to build trust)

iv) be mindful of staffs' skill gaps (people lack the competencies for the change, especially if its technological; provide training and new equipment options to handle any skill gaps)

v) find ways to handle people who will be negatively impacted (as change can result in positions being eliminated and/or changed, organisational charts being  reorganised, etc people can be inconvenienced by change and need to plan for this event)

vi) encourage participation (sometimes people can feel confused and nervous during change:
"...handling them a measure of control or power over the situation can alleviate their anxieties and decrease resistance to change..."
Nathan Altadonna, 2023

Encourage feedback and delegate responsibility)

vii) handle conflict (encourage team spirit and collaboration; set up mediation procedures to resolve issues, etc)

Summary

"...Change can be scary. To effectively make change happen in your organisation takes time to plan your approach thoroughly, and set up necessary support systems.

Remember, people may be resistant to change, for several reasons. The change management team should anticipate these sources of resistance and take a transparent, constructive approach when addressing them.

By selecting the right strategies for dealing with resistance to change and following the best practices......you get empowerment and a more efficient, streamlined change process..."
Nathan Altadonna, 2023