Change management has become a buzz word of business leaders and academics alike, and the reason is simple: organizations are undergoing changes at a faster rate today than ever before. Despite these increases in change frequency and a growing body of research dedicated to understanding organizational initiatives, the vast majority of planned organizational changes still fail. But, why? According to Oreg and Sverdlik (2011), the answer is a little complicated.
THE STUDY RESULTS
It is common knowledge that the success of any change initiative relies on employees’ acceptance and commitment to the change. Indeed, much research has been dedicated to understanding and addressing employee resistance. However, this body of research typically categorizes employees into two types: those who support the change and those who resist it. What about employees who are on the fence? The authors categorize these employees as ambivalent; they experience both positive and negative feelings about different aspects of the change at the same time.
The results reveal that ambivalence results from an interaction between an employee’s personal orientation to accept change (openness to change) or reject change (resistance predisposition) and the employee’s positive or negative feelings about the change agent. Four outcomes result. Obviously, (and the best case for the organization) employees who are open to change and who generally like the change agent, will be supporters of the change. And the opposite, employees who tend to resist change and who dislike the change agent, will resist the initiative.
The interesting combinations (and the ones in which organizations have the greatest control) results when an employee’s predisposition for change is challenged by his or her feelings about the change agent. For example, an employee has a predisposition to resist change, but experiences ambivalence due to liking the change agent. And the reverse: an employee who is tends to accept change but dislikes the change agent will also be ambivalent. This indicates that perceptions about the change agent are strong enough to have an effect on employees’ personalities and predispositions.
THE BOTTOM LINE FOR ORGANIZATIONS
What’s the take-away for organizations planning an initiative or currently undergoing an organizational change? To start, pick a well-liked, positive, and influential change agent. This can sway employees who would typically resist change toward becoming one step closer to acceptance. Also, selecting a likeable change agent will help shift those employees who are open to change to be supporters of the change effort.
Oreg, S., & Sverdlik, N. (2011). Ambivalence toward imposed change: The conflict between dispositional resistance to change and the orientation toward the change agent. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96, 337-349.
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