Organisational change is inevitable. Yet, as the saying goes, organisations don’t change, people do. Change relies on people adopting new strategies, policies, and systems—and when resistance arises, it can have dire consequences.
Employee resistance manifests in various ways: absenteeism, disengagement, covert sabotage, or outright opposition. For employees, this can lead to anxiety, burnout, and even long-term psychological distress. For organisations, the stakes are equally high, with failed projects, wasted resources, and broader societal costs.
Take, for instance, the UK’s £13 billion NHS eHealth initiative—a project abandoned after 10 years due to unmitigated employee resistance. The funding wasted could have provided one million hip replacements or 12 years of chemotherapy for all UK cancer patients. Australia has faced similar failures, perpetuating inequities in healthcare access and outcomes.
Why Managing Resistance Matters
Successfully managing resistance isn’t just about protecting employee wellbeing or organisational success—it’s about fostering trust and empowering teams to adapt. Evidence-based approaches are essential to understand and address resistance effectively.
Below is an evidence-based model for managing employee resistance, developed as part of my award-winning research into the psychological factors underpinning resistance to organisational change.**
Understanding the Resistance Model
The model highlights two key drivers of resistance:
- Organisational Factors: Elements managers can control, like communication, participation, and resources.
- Personal Factors: Internal employee constructs, such as trust, future clarity, and personal resilience. While organisations cannot directly alter personal factors, they can influence them through well-managed organisational factors.
How It Works
- Organisational factors (e.g., communication quality and resource adequacy) directly impact personal factors, such as trust in management.
- Personal factors determine how ready employees are to embrace change—or resist it.
For example, communication is the strongest driver of trust, while resources influence an employee’s clarity about their role in the future state.
Key Insights from the Model
1. Communication is King
Trust in management is the most influential personal factor in determining employee resistance to change. The research shows that trust is shaped significantly by organisational factors, particularly communication. When employees trust their leaders, they are more likely to perceive the change as well-intentioned and achievable, reducing resistance. Conversely, a breach of trust—whether through poor communication or perceived mismanagement—can significantly increase resistance, even if other factors like resources and future clarity are well-managed.
2. Future Clarity is Critical
Future clarity is a key personal factor that influences resistance by helping employees envision their place in the changed environment. The research highlights that employees who can clearly “see” themselves in the future are more likely to feel secure and engaged, while those who cannot may experience heightened uncertainty and resistance. Organisational factors, especially communication and resources, play a critical role in shaping future clarity by providing the information and support employees need to make sense of the change and their role within it.
3. Participation’s Limited Role
Participation, while beneficial in some situations, does not have as strong or consistent an impact on reducing resistance as communication and resources. Involving employees in decision-making can foster engagement, but participation is not without risks. When it is poorly timed, narrowly scoped, or unsupported by adequate resources, it can lead to frustration and even increased resistance. These limitations highlight the importance of focusing on broader organisational strategies that have a more significant and reliable influence on reducing resistance.
4. The Resource Factor
Resources play a vital role in reducing resistance by ensuring employees feel equipped to navigate change. This includes having adequate tools, systems, and training to support them in their roles. According to the research, resources exert a measurable influence on both trust in management and future clarity, which are critical factors in determining employee readiness or resistance to change. Without adequate resources, even well-communicated change initiatives may struggle to gain traction.
5. The Sweet Spot in Communication
The research suggests a curvilinear relationship between communication and resistance. Too little communication can leave employees feeling uninformed and disconnected, while too much—especially if poorly timed—can overwhelm and frustrate them. The ideal balance, or “sweet spot,” minimises resistance by ensuring communication is clear, relevant, and delivered at the right time, helping to build trust and future clarity.
Practical Applications for Organisations
To reduce resistance and foster readiness for change, organisations should focus on the factors with the greatest impact:
- Prioritise Communication: Effective communication is the strongest organisational lever for reducing resistance. Ensure it is timely, clear, and addresses employee concerns to build trust and enhance future clarity. Use visual communication tools, such as diagrams or infographics, to help employees understand the change and visualise their roles in the new environment.
- Balance Participation Thoughtfully: While participation can engage employees, it should be used strategically. Avoid poorly timed or tokenistic participation efforts that may frustrate employees or increase resistance.
- Provide Adequate Resources: Equip employees with the tools, systems, and training they need to feel confident in adopting change. Resources are essential for fostering trust and future clarity, ensuring employees feel supported throughout the process.
- Find the Sweet Spot in Communication: Recognise that too little communication leaves employees feeling uninformed, while too much or poorly timed communication can overwhelm them. Aim for the “sweet spot” where communication is clear, relevant, and delivered at the right time.
- Support Personal Resilience: While personal resilience is largely shaped by individual factors, this model demonstrates that organisational strategies—such as building trust and enhancing future clarity—can mitigate the effects of low resilience. By creating a supportive and transparent environment, organisations can help employees adapt more readily to change.
By addressing these critical areas, organisations can effectively reduce resistance, foster employee readiness, and increase the likelihood of project success.
** This model is based on my Psychological Science post-graduate research into “Modifiable antecedents to employee resistance to organisational change”, which won the Australian Psychological Society Prize in 2021 for best research.
