Why are some people against change?

Answer 1

Possible reasons why employees resist change in an organisation and some of the strategies that can be used to overcome the resistance.

Surprise

Employers need to sell their ideas to the employees before implementing change. Surprise changes are usually not welcome. Sudden changes can create a sense of insecurity in the employees.

Lack of Skills

Some changes require that employees possess a new set of skills and hence without training, employees will not welcome the change.

Fear of Failure

Related to the lack of skills is the fear of failure. Some changes can present challenges which are very intimidating. Hence psychological counseling may be a necessity.

Lack of Trust

In an environment where there is lack of trust, employees are likely to believe that there will be sinister motive for the change. Furthermore, managers who do not trust their employees will not allow employees participation in the change process even when it is necessary.

Personality Clashes

There are unfortunate situations where some managers are disliked by employees. Unless the underlying hatred issues are first dealt with, such managers can never be effective agents of change.

Poor Timing

Poor timing of change can be as a result of external and internal events. For example, change may require that an employee be transferred to Another Country while his or her mother is critically ill.

Lack of Tact

Sometimes it is not the change process by itself that shapes the attitudes of employees but it will be the way the change message is conveyed. Sensitive handling of change issues is critical.

Threat to Job Status or Security

Employees' fears of loss of job security or status may be real or imaginary and hence the necessary support systems must be put in place.

Unexplained changes to the timeline

If the timeline of the change process that is spelt out at the beginning of the change process is continuously shifted without explanation, employees will lose confidence in the change process and they will not share management's vision.

Answer 2

There are various reasons that a person might resist changes in their behaviors. It might be against their ethical code.

Answer 3

Because they know what they have, but they don't know what they'll get - and they worry that it might be less than what they have now.

Answer 4

They did want change the white were fearful of what change to be around. White don't want to be equal to blacks they wanted to be superior.