Whether it is proactive or reactive, organizational change is inevitable. Unfortunately, people don’t always like change and tend to be resistant to it. This activity is important because managers need to understand what to expect from employees in terms of their resistance to change in order to better manage workers through the change process. The goal of this exercise is to challenge your knowledge of the ten reasons people resist change. First, read each of the statements that depict an example of something related to an organizational change. Then, click and drag each statement to the reason for change resistance that it best depicts.
1. Your manager ensures you the change won't alter your salary, but you worry he'll only look out for himself.
2. Your work colleague is upset about a change to the department, therefore you resist the change, too.
3. New procedures are vastly different from old ones, and you aren't sure you can learn them.
4. You worry that recent technology changes may eliminate the need for your managerial position.
5. The organization implements massive structural changes with no explanation.
6. A notoriously unlikeable manager delivers the news of a change.
7. Your boss suddenly and without warning announces her re-signation and replacement.
8. Five close members of a department are re-assigned and are no longer part of the same work group.
9. You immediately resist an organizational change because you have a deep fear of change.
10. All employees now must work two extra hours per week with no additional pay.
A. Individuals' Predisposition Toward Change.
B. Surprise and Fear of the Unknown.
C. Climate of Mistrust.
D. Fear of Failure.
E. Loss of Status or Job Security.
F. Peer Pressure.
G. Disruption of Cultural Traditions or Group Relationships.
H. Personality Conflicts.
I. Lack of Tact or Poor Timing.
J. Non-reinforcing Reward Systems.