The Affects of Workplace Change and Stress
Growth and organizational evolution causes change, resistance to that inevitability and stress as a byproduct. The tactics individuals and leaders adopt can cause harmful consequences if not managed with sensitivity and awareness. Change can be threatening for those experiencing job insecurity (Robbins & Judge, 2007) or develop teams and co-workers that act at cross-purposes (Huy & Mintzbereg, 2003). Change can be a source of stress, but so can workload, leadership styles, and the shuffling of roles and responsibilities (Cooper, 2006). Management of resistance and stress is largely dependent on the organizations leadership to be the bulwark of these human traits by perceiving their sources and proactively attending to them.
According to Robbins and Judge (2007), resistance to change is derived from two sources: individuality and organizational. Resistance resulting from an individual is due to the perceptions and personalities of people in the workplace. For example, change may cause insecurity in people and resistance because change threatens and alters their perception of job security (Robbins & Judge, 2007). Organizational resistance is linked to the formulation of the organizational structure. Structural inertia (e.g. formalized regulations) would be an example of an organizational source of resistance. These sources of resistance to organizational changes can be difficult to detect because of the way in which they present themselves. Robbins and Judge (2007) noted that, “resistance can be overt, implicit, immediate, or deferred” (p. 647).
Burnes (2003) asserted that most organizations, management development, and organizational change, are seen as separate activities and carried out by different groups. According to Burnes (2003), whenever management development and organizational change are divided and passed on to different groups, it is a recipe for change management failure. Burnes (2003) argued that organizations need to embrace organizational
According to Robbins and Judge (2007), resistance to change is derived from two sources: individuality and organizational. Resistance resulting from an individual is due to the perceptions and personalities of people in the workplace. For example, change may cause insecurity in people and resistance because change threatens and alters their perception of job security (Robbins & Judge, 2007). Organizational resistance is linked to the formulation of the organizational structure. Structural inertia (e.g. formalized regulations) would be an example of an organizational source of resistance. These sources of resistance to organizational changes can be difficult to detect because of the way in which they present themselves. Robbins and Judge (2007) noted that, “resistance can be overt, implicit, immediate, or deferred” (p. 647).
Burnes (2003) asserted that most organizations, management development, and organizational change, are seen as separate activities and carried out by different groups. According to Burnes (2003), whenever management development and organizational change are divided and passed on to different groups, it is a recipe for change management failure. Burnes (2003) argued that organizations need to embrace organizational
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