Resistance to change in the workplace can derail even a necessary and well-planned organizational change. Employees may push back openly, withdraw their support, return to old ways of working, or comply without fully committing when they don’t understand the purpose of the change, trust the people leading it, or believe they can succeed under the new expectations.
Resistance to change in the workplace doesn’t always mean employees are unwilling to adapt. It can reflect uncertainty about the future, concern about changing roles, loss of control, lack of trust, insufficient support, or legitimate problems with the plan itself.
Because organizational change is so common, understanding resistance to change in the workplace has become increasingly important. Gallup found that seven in ten U.S. workers had experienced disruptive change within their organization during the previous year. Among employees experiencing significant disruption, those who strongly trusted organizational leadership were 4.5 times as likely to be engaged. Effective leadership communication produced a similarly significant difference.
Leaders often intensify resistance to change in the workplace by treating it as something to defeat. A better response begins with understanding what employees are reacting to, separating legitimate concerns from reluctance, communicating with clarity, involving people where their input can improve the change, and providing the support they need to move forward.
To better understand the leadership choices that shape how employees respond to change, I asked leaders: What is your best advice for leaders on how to lead through change? Their answers explain what causes resistance to change in the workplace, how leaders can address it, and how they can build the trust, confidence, and ownership that change requires.
Leaders on How to Overcome Resistance to Change in the Workplace
JP Venoit, CEO of Masonicare: Change is one of the few constants in leadership, and how we respond to it often determines whether an organization moves forward or falls behind. My advice to leaders is to be honest, be visible, and bring people along on the journey. During times of change, employees want clarity. They want to understand why something is happening, what it means for them, and how they can contribute to the organization’s future. Leaders do not need to have every answer, but they do need to communicate openly and create an environment where people feel heard. I have found that some of the best insights come from the individuals who are closest to the work. Listening to employees, asking for feedback, and being willing to adjust along the way can make change more successful. At the end of the day, change is not just about processes or strategies; it is about people. Leaders who build trust and maintain a clear sense of purpose can help their teams navigate uncertainty with confidence.
Michael Wu, President of Phison U.S.: Leading through change starts with helping people interpret what is changing, not just asking them to adapt to it. In my experience, uncertainty is rarely caused by change itself. It’s caused by assumptions, incomplete information, and a lack of clarity about what the change means for each team, customer, or business function. As leaders, our responsibility is to slow the conversation down enough to separate possibility from reality. That means acknowledging constraints, asking difficult questions, and being transparent about what we know, what we don’t know, and what we’re still validating. People don’t expect leaders to have every answer, but they do expect thoughtful judgment, and sometimes, when the change is positive, people appreciate levity. I like to bring humor into the fold, as it reminds us that big positive challenges aren’t faced alone; that’s why we are a team in the first place. I’ve also learned that change is most effective when people understand the “why” behind it. When teams see how a decision connects to the broader mission, they become active participants rather than passive recipients. Communication is never a one-time event; it requires continuous listening, refinement, and reinforcement. Ultimately, leading through change isn’t about projecting certainty. It’s about building confidence through clarity, consistency, and a willingness to learn alongside your organization. That approach creates resilience that lasts well beyond any single transition.
Craig Dunaway, COO of Penn Station Sandwiches: My best advice for leaders navigating change is to communicate early, honestly, and often. People are far more likely to embrace change when they understand not only what’s happening, but why it’s happening. Transparency builds trust, even when the message is difficult, and as leaders, yes, that’s the work we do. Through my years of leadership at Penn Station Sandwiches, I’ve learned the best policy is to be candid with those who will be impacted; sugarcoating and opinions are not needed. Leaders should be willing to answer tough questions and acknowledge when they don’t have all the answers. If you don’t know something, say so and commit to finding the answer and following up. Credibility comes from honesty, not from having every answer immediately. It’s equally important to share relevant information rather than allowing employees to fill in the gaps themselves. When communication is lacking, rumors and uncertainty take over. Keeping people informed helps maintain trust and reduces unnecessary speculation. Change should also be a collaborative process. Leaders don’t need to have every solution, but they should actively listen, involve others where appropriate, and demonstrate that employee feedback is valued. Finally, communication shouldn’t end once the change is implemented. Continue checking in to understand how the change is being received, what’s working well, what isn’t, and what could be improved. That ongoing dialogue not only strengthens trust but also helps leaders make better decisions as the organization continues to evolve.
Vanessa Slowey, CEO of TelyRx: Leading through change asks a lot of a leader. It requires you to dig deep, to show up authentically, and to be honest about the fact that change is hard. You can’t shortcut that with polished messaging. People can tell the difference between a leader who is genuinely present and one who is managing them, and that difference is everything. This is why building a culture of real trust and transparency matters so much: when people trust you, they extend you the benefit of the doubt through the uncertainty that change inevitably brings. That trust is built, in large part, through communication. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that people are far more willing to embrace change when they understand why it’s happening. Change can be difficult, and leaders shouldn’t pretend otherwise. The most important thing is to clearly communicate where you’re going, why you’re going there, how your people fit into that, and what success looks like. And communication isn’t a one-time event during change. It needs to be frequent, consistent, and transparent. I also believe people need to feel they have a voice. Some of the best ideas come from unexpected places, especially during periods of transformation. When people understand the vision, feel heard, and are encouraged to contribute, they’re much more likely to embrace change rather than resist it. Finally, stay focused on the people you serve. I’ve found that the clearest decisions are often the simplest ones. When evaluating change, I come back to a single question: will this make the experience better for the people we’re serving? If the answer is “yes,” that clarity helps guide decisions, build trust, and keep the organization moving in the right direction.
Dr. Alan Kadish, President of Touro University: First, know and respect the culture of your industry. In tech startups, people embrace change, and the leader’s job is to make sure it happens responsibly rather than precipitously. In education, my own field, there is often resistance to change. Leaders must earn buy-in for it to happen at all, and then ensure it happens thoughtfully. Second, be confident but not arrogant. Change always carries risk, but stagnation ultimately leads to failure. Accept input without letting it stifle the changes you know must happen. Third, assess how quickly change is happening or needs to happen, and let the timeframe guide how you gather input and engagement from your staff. When rapid changes are needed, as during the COVID pandemic, leaders must make quick decisions and earn buy-in afterward. When there’s time, gather input and build it into the final decision, so employees have a stake in the transformation and a reason to help execute it.
Channing Ferrer, Chief Revenue Officer and CEO of Americas of Brevo: Over-communicate the “why” of what you’re doing before the “what.” People resist change when they don’t understand it because there’s ambiguity about what it means for them. Give your team your reasoning, then let them own the path forward. Give people plenty of outlets to learn about the change. That said, keep moving forward. Move faster than feels comfortable. Half-measures during change create more anxiety than a clear, decisive shift, even an imperfect one.
Azzedine Downes, CEO of the International Fund for Animal Welfare: My advice is to start with a very clear understanding of your own expectations. Are you expecting you will be able to convince everyone that the change is positive? Are you realistic about your own acceptance of change? Do you see it as disruptive or a necessary part of growing a business? Once you are clear in your own mind, you will be better prepared to adjust the plan. I’m not talking about the theory of change to which you subscribe. I’m talking about your own emotional intelligence. Expect resistance to change and manage your own reactions to opposition with a mixture of patience and resolve.
Aaron Mitchell, CEO at HeroDevs: Be upfront that change is coming and that the way people work will continue to evolve. Employees don’t need every answer on day one, but they should understand that adapting is part of the job. From there, lead by example. Spend time creating tools and artifacts with AI that add real business value instead of simply encouraging others to experiment. When people see leaders embracing new ways of working, it gives them permission to do the same. Recognize and reward the employees who are building useful tools and helping others adopt them, because that’s how change spreads through an organization.
Dr. Amanda Main, Chief Innovation Officer of the University of Central Florida’s Barry S. Miller College of Business: I would put the resistance to work by placing the most skeptical person I can find on the change team while the plan is still half-built. Give that person the same access as the enthusiasts, plus permission to be inconvenient. Leaders often assume resistance means people have not understood the change. The usual response is to schedule another town hall and deliver the same explanation more slowly. But sometimes people understand the plan just fine. They can already see the policy everyone will ignore by Friday, or the obscure step in the old process that seems pointless until it disappears and three other things stop working. That knowledge is far more useful before launch than after. I want skeptics in the room while changing course can still be called thinking instead of a “pivot,” and I want them to have enough standing to change what happens. A room full of champions makes me nervous. It usually means the argument happened elsewhere, or never happened at all. Either way, I want to know before launch.
Kamille McCollum, President and COO, BODYBAR Pilates: Change can be a challenge for a workforce, and as a leader, I believe communication is key. Staying as transparent as possible with your employees keeps them calm during any kind of change. As a leader, making sure you stay positive is also important. If your staff sees you get overly emotional during change, you will never get through it. Change is inevitable. It’s how you as a leader face it and bring your company through it that will be the difference.
Jeremy Barnett, CEO of RAD Intel: Technology that improves strategic decision-making will be the most valuable skill multiplier in the future of work. AI is making information abundant. Change moves faster when the reasoning travels with the decision. People can adapt to almost any outcome when they understand what a leader saw, weighed, and chose. The real value comes from helping people interpret it, act on it, and make better decisions faster.
John Lehr, CEO of the Parkinson’s Foundation: Change is constant for any organization, whether it is shifting funding priorities, leadership changes, or a disruption none of us saw coming. This is why it is particularly important to have a strong strategic plan and to let it be your North Star during periods of change. It can be tempting to react to every new development during uncertain times, but a strong strategic plan keeps you anchored to your core mission and goals. At the Parkinson’s Foundation, this approach has kept our team focused during difficult stretches because everyone knows what we are working toward, not just what we are working against. Leaders who anchor their teams to a clear plan give them something steady to hold on to, and that stability is often what carries an organization through change.
Marc Bivona, Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Landuyt Center for Entrepreneurship: The biggest mistake leaders make during change is assuming people resist change itself. In reality, they resist uncertainty. Great leaders reduce uncertainty by clearly explaining why change is happening, what success looks like, and what will remain constant. They communicate often, even when they don’t have every answer, because silence creates its own narrative. Just as important, they create opportunities for employees to experiment, learn, and contribute to the solution. People are far more likely to embrace change when they feel they have a role in shaping it rather than simply reacting to it. Change succeeds when leaders build trust before they ask for transformation.
Luz Urrutia, CEO of Accion Opportunity Fund: Change doesn’t fail because people resist it. It fails because leaders underestimate what it takes to bring people along. I like to start by being crystal clear about why the change is necessary. If people don’t understand the “why,” they’ll create their own story, and it’s usually worse than reality. Be honest about what’s changing, what’s not, and what you know versus what you don’t know. Lead with transparency, even when the news is difficult. People can handle uncertainty better than they can handle surprises. Communicate early, often, and consistently. You cannot overcommunicate during periods of change. Listen as much as you speak. Change is not something you do to people. On the contrary, it’s something you do with them. The best ideas often come from the people closest to the work, and giving them a voice builds trust and ownership. Be decisive but be compassionate. Every change affects people differently. Some will be excited, others will grieve what they’re leaving behind. Acknowledge both. Empathy and accountability are not opposites; great leaders practice both at the same time. Finally, remember that culture isn’t what you say. It’s what you repeatedly do. Your team will watch your actions more than your words. Stay visible, stay consistent, celebrate progress, and reinforce the behaviors that will make the new direction successful. Leadership is tested most during times of change. If you can create clarity, build trust, and help people see the opportunity ahead, you won’t just manage change; you’ll help people grow through it.
Janean Dismukes, Campus President of UTI-Phoenix: The most effective leaders in times of change don’t simply communicate the change. They create confidence through it. People can adapt to almost anything when they understand the “why,” feel included in the process, and trust that their leaders are listening. Change should never feel like something happening to people. It should feel like something they’re helping shape. For me, that means being transparent, staying visible, and consistently reinforcing the mission. In education, especially, every decision ultimately comes back to improving outcomes for students. When leaders keep that purpose at the center, change becomes easier for teams to embrace.
Roei Samuel, CEO of Connectd: I’ve built two companies now, and the one constant across both is that change never waits for you to feel ready for it. The biggest advice I can offer other founders and senior leaders is to not be afraid to overcommunicate. When things are moving fast, silence gets filled with fear and speculation, so I make sure my team hears from me directly, especially when I don’t have all the answers yet. Right now, we’re scaling across the UK and US, and our structure is shifting constantly. What’s kept people with me throughout is that I don’t let a hard conversation sit longer than it has to, and I run every tough call through the same filter: does this protect our values and our standard of performance? Once you’re clear on that, decisions that felt impossible get a lot simpler. Lead from the front, and people will fight for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Resistance to Change in the Workplace
What causes resistance to change in the workplace?
Resistance to change in the workplace can come from uncertainty, fear of losing status or control, concern about changing responsibilities, lack of trust in leadership, insufficient training, or exclusion from decisions. Employees may also resist when they believe the change is poorly designed or will create problems leadership has not considered. Leaders should avoid assuming that every objection has the same cause. Understanding what is driving resistance to change in the workplace is the first step toward addressing it.
What are common signs of employee resistance to change?
Resistance to change in the workplace can appear through open disagreement, repeated objections, declining participation, delayed implementation, lower productivity, absenteeism, or a return to old ways of working. It can also be less visible. Employees may comply publicly while withholding effort, avoiding responsibility, or waiting for the initiative to disappear. Questions and disagreement should not automatically be treated as resistance to change in the workplace. Employees who raise concerns may be trying to prevent a mistake or understand how the change will affect their work.
How can leaders overcome resistance to change in the workplace?
Leaders can overcome resistance to change by identifying its cause before deciding how to respond. They should clearly explain why the change is necessary, what will change, what will remain consistent, how employees will be affected, and what support will be available. Leaders should also listen to concerns, involve employees where their knowledge can improve the plan, provide the necessary training and resources, make decisions, and continue communicating after implementation begins.
How should leaders communicate organizational change?
To reduce resistance to change in the workplace, leaders should communicate organizational change early, honestly, and consistently. Employees need more than an announcement. They need to understand why the change is happening, what it means for their day-to-day work, what leadership knows, what remains uncertain, and how decisions will be made as new information emerges. Communication should be two-way and should continue throughout the transition. Silence leaves room for rumors and assumptions to shape how employees interpret the change.
How does employee involvement reduce resistance to change?
Employee involvement can reduce resistance to change in the workplace because people are more likely to support a change they have had a meaningful role in shaping. Employees closest to the work may also identify operational problems, unintended consequences, or implementation risks that senior leaders cannot see. Involvement must be genuine. Asking employees for feedback after every important decision has already been made can intensify resistance to change in the workplace rather than build support.
Is resistance to change always negative?
Resistance to change in the workplace is not always negative. It can reveal fear, lack of understanding, or reluctance, but it can also expose weaknesses in the plan. Employees may understand the work well enough to recognize that a proposed process will create new problems or remove something the organization still needs. Leaders should treat resistance as information before deciding how to respond. They can take concerns seriously without surrendering the responsibility to make and implement difficult decisions.
How does trust affect resistance to change?
Trust plays a major role in resistance to change in the workplace because it shapes how employees interpret both the change and the messages surrounding it. When employees trust their leaders, they are more likely to believe the stated reasons for a decision, raise concerns honestly, and remain engaged while details are still uncertain. Trust has to exist before leaders need it most. It grows through honest communication, consistent behavior, follow-through, and a willingness to listen and respond when employees speak up.
What should leaders do when resistance continues?
When resistance to change in the workplace continues, leaders should determine whether employees lack understanding, motivation, knowledge, practical ability, or confidence that the change will last. Each problem requires a different response. More communication will not solve a training problem, and more training will not repair a lack of trust. Once leaders have communicated clearly, listened seriously, provided support, and addressed legitimate concerns, they must establish expectations and hold people accountable for behavior that continues to obstruct necessary change.
