Why Do People Resist Change?

Reasons for Accepting or Rejecting Change

• Change is likely to be resisted if there is no clear evidence of a serious problem or opportunity that would justify major change.
• A proposed change may be resisted if it is believed that it cannot be implemented successfully.
• Major change always entails some costs, and they may be higher than any likely benefits, leading to resistance.
• Even if a change would benefit the organization, it may be resisted by people who would suffer personal loss of income, benefits, or job security.
• The proposed change may appear inconsistent with an individual's values and ideals, leading to resistance.
• Change may be resisted because the leaders who propose it are distrusted.
• Some organizations have a history of failed change efforts based on popular management programs that are ineffective, leading to organizational cynicism and hence resistance to change.
• The signs of a developing problem are usually ambiguous at the early stage, and it is easy for people to ignore or discount them.
• Making a change that is radically different from anything done previously will appear difficult if not impossible to most people.
• The self-confidence of people who must implement change also influences how they view it.
• A change will be perceived as unfair by people if it has adverse consequences for them and they have little or no influence over decisions about the change.
• Resistance may also reflect resentment that changes were proposed by leaders who are not viewed as having legitimate authority to make them.