2.2.2. Human reaction to change

Human reaction to change can come from individuals or from groups, from staff or from managers. Depending how positively or negatively people are affected by change, they will differ in their reaction to change – passively or actively support or resist change.¹⁰

Change" class="wp-image-10559 size-full" height="289" src="https://sgbs.ch/wp-content/uploads/Figure-3-Human-Reaction-to-Change.png" width="381"> Figure 3: Human Reaction to Change

• Active support: some people, in particular if they have something to gain from the new situation, for instance because they have skills and profiles which are required by the future organisation, enthusiastically embrace change. They actively support the direction change is taking and are valuable change agents who can play a key role in meetings, keep discussions going, take the initiative over suggestions and planning and act as the conduits for delegation and feedback from those undergoing change.
• Passive support: passive support is less openly expressed, but means that people understand the need for change and do not object to the change process. This concerns the large group of followers.
• Active resistance: active opposition is openly stated and clearly visible. Opposition to the content of changes will surface in argument and criticism; this may be exaggerated but deeper objections often lie beneath the surface. Personal and emotional resistance often combine to reinforce an aggressive attitude. This may appear in active confrontation in discussions, unofficial opposition meetings, angry emails, threats of actions via trade associations etc.
• Passive resistance: passive resistance during change can be just as effective as strident opposition. It can appear in different forms: people do not participate in meetings or do not contribute, delay messages and hold back information. It can also show itself in implicit ways, from increased leave for sickness up to cases of serious work incapability because of burn out.

¹⁰

See Heller, R.: Managing Change, Essential Manager, London, New York 1998, pp.52