The developments and changes brought to our lives by the age of technology and information have become inevitable. Therefore, managers began to adapt to the changes quickly and cheaply. However, the most challenging part of the problems faced during this process is the resistance of employees to change. So, what is resistance to change? How can it be eliminated?
What Is Resistance to Change?
Habits are the most significant barriers standing in the way of change for companies or individuals. These habits and efforts for change generate reluctance. The unwillingness to adapt to new conditions or ways of doing things is defined as resistance to change. This resistance can manifest itself in an employee or workplace as total. A business that aims for success should eliminate or reduce the resistance to change.
The developments in automation and artificial intelligence led to massive changes, especially in marketing. Although the companies resist change, the ones who accept it achieve great success. According to the research, 72% of the most successful companies use marketing automation. These results show that with the changing technology, companies should use methods in line with the expectations of customers rather than their habits.
How to Eliminate Resistance to Change
Managers must strive for their employees to easily adapt to the changes and new changes in the process. We can examine what kind of attitude you should have towards your employees to overcome resistance to change under four titles:
1) Engage and Educate Them
Education and proper communication are among the most effective methods in the change process. A few main reasons employees resist change are lack of trust and communication. At this point, prove that the new procedure, tool, or change will be beneficial and convince them. Educate your employees about how much better your lives will be after the changes.
2) Encourage Them to Join Change Plan
Since employees are the ones who will be primarily affected by the change, their resistance to change should be minimized in the planning and implementation phases. The critical thing here is not whether the participants’ ideas are accepted but their involvement in a change that will affect them.
3) Include Them To Management and Make Them Feel Valued
Don’t make your decision without consulting your employees about a significant upcoming change. Make a common agreement together and assign important tasks to people who’ll show resistance. Compromising at some levels can break through their resistance and make them support the change. Through this method, employees will feel valued, and their commitment to your company will accelerate.
4) Support Them During the Change
Support is very effective, especially in environments where individuals feel fear because of the unknown and insecurity. Those people need to be supported by managers to develop themselves. For example, if employees are struggling with new techniques and implementations, it would be helpful for management to provide them with additional training, emotional support, or even a temporary leave of absence. This way, individuals can adapt to new systems more easily.
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