Common Management Error (122)
Cxxii) Not Understanding Differing Perception of Change

Introduction
Within an organisation, people's perceptions of change can vary; it basically depending upon their position in the organisational structure. Senior managers perception will be different to middle and lower management: generally senior management is more receptive and lower management more resistance.
"...within the same organisation various functions can view corporate initiatives differently..."
Azad Rosay, 2024
This can have a major impact on the effectiveness of your change initiatives and thus needs to be taken into account. It could help explain the low success rate of organisational change, ie 30%; other impacts include
- increased turnover rate of staff
"... The turnover rate of employees without recent change at work is 15% while it is 45% for employees in the current change or recent change..."
American Psychological Association (2017) as quoted by Azad Rosay, 2024
- negative impact on trust
"...34% of employees in a current change or recent change do not trust their employee. This number goes down to 12% of employees with no change..."
American Psychological Association (2017) as quoted by Azad Rosay, 2024
- increase in physical and mental health challenges
"...more than one out of two employees in a current change for a recent change in dealing with chronic work stress compared to less in one out of four employees with no change..."
American Psychological Association (2017) as quoted by Azad Rosay, 2024
The below diagram details the difference between change and no change on certain parameters; basically the way management handle the people problems in change needs to improve, ie the need to improve employees experience during the change.

(source: American Psychological Association (2017) as quoted by Azad Rosay, 2024)
NB Change is more than just being about short-term financial results
"...change management discussions on the focus on 'processes', 'cycles', and/or 'change models' while forgetting to mention the 'human' within these processes and cycles..."
Azad Rosay, 2024