Why Resist Changing

Every thing has changed in every minute so that it can meet with the present requirements. Change is one of the best approaches that some organizations have to acquire and implement. Change will lead the organizations to being successful, and also keeping track with the modern world. However, when the organizations start to change, there have some barriers, and those are relevant to resist changing. These obstacles to change are included (Rue & Byars, pp. 373-374):

(1) Resist changing comes from fear of the unknown. It is natural human behavior to fear the unknown. With many changes, the outcome is not foreseeable. They fear that changes will affect their jobs, or when the changes are applied, they can not master them. For example, the workers are adapted to using hand writing. On the other hand, when they change to use computers, the workers will be reluctant whether they can use them or not.

(2) Resist changing comes from economic. The workers fear any change because they think that it threatens their jobs or incomes. This threat can be real or imagined. Because of this, it leads to resist changing. For example, the workers who hold the position of manager will resist changing because they think that they will be paid less income.

(3) Resist changing comes from fear that skills and expertise will lose value. Every one like to feel valued by the others and anything that has the potential to reduce that value will be resisted. For example, the front line manager resists changing the new system, for he fears that it will affect his value.

(4) Resist changing comes from fear of threats to power. Many workers, especially employers, believe that changes may diminish their power. They are afraid of losing their power in managing or arranging something. For example, it is related to changing from centralization to decentralization or authorization to empowerment.

(5) Resist changing comes from the fear of additional work and inconvenience. Almost all changes involve work and many result in personal inconvenience to affect the workers. These people are afraid of changing, for they fear that they may get more tasks or have to work hard.

(6) Resist changing comes from the fear of threats to personal relations. The social and interpersonal relationships among workers can be quite strong. When the changes as implemented, the workers are not so happy because they keep in mind that they may lose their partners or relation, and then they resist changing. For example, it concerns with reengineering, or downsizing. 

                                              Sam Aun (Andy)