Reasons that provoke resistance to change when you want to improve the quality of your service
Among the obstacles experienced by leaders promoting strategies to improve the quality of their service, resistance to change of personnel is among the first. It seems that you are paddling against the current, a necessary and vital change for the entire organization is made uphill.
Understanding the reasons that provoke it, will help you take actions to reverse this situation, and achieve the desired change that your service needs to retain customers.
According to a survey that I carried out a few months ago, the two main reasons that hinder quality management in the service are:
- Lack of employee involvement / motivation. 21% of the consulted leaders consider it their main obstacle. Resistance to change is the main impediment for 15% of the consulted leaders.
And if we analyze them, both reasons are related. It is very difficult to produce a change in personnel that is out of alignment with the objectives of the organization, which will only work for an economic need, but does not find any link or sense of belonging with the company to which it provides its services.
The main challenge of the leader is to drive change
Leadership, by nature, is a constant romance with change. To maintain the status quo, leaders are not needed. Leaders are needed to reach a goal that requires applying energy to change actions. Energy that goes against natural tendencies, that produces overcoming overcoming reluctance, comfort, mediocrity.
That is why good leaders are those capable of dragging behind them an entire team that, with a clear course, overcomes the daily difficulties and finally reaches the goal.
What changes does a service strategy require?
To improve the quality of services, it is necessary to implement changes that directly involve staff. What are those changes? Just to name a few:
- Changes in the organizational culture, to guide it to quality and service. Changes in the attitudes and behaviors of the staff, because they are the ones who produce the service. Changes in work routines, to guarantee improvements that are sustained over time, and not They depend on the will of each person and the desire of the moment. Changes in the way of communicating, with customers and also internally, so that the information flows and reaches the right people. Changes…
What generates resistance to change in personnel?
However, when you make these proposals for change, the most common thing is that you find resistance and not adherence. Nothing guarantees the total immediate adherence of your people, but you can favor it if you prevent these 6 reasons that generate resistance to change from being present in your proposal:
1. The fear of the unknown.
It is very difficult to explain in detail everything that the process will involve for people, simply because much of it is unknown. And the unknown generates fear and resistance.
2. They fear that the underlying reasons will harm them.
The plan is generally drawn up by management, and even external consultants are involved. The interests of those who made it are different. And from there the fears arise: Could it be that what they are looking for is to reduce the staff? Do you want to make us work more? Are they going to take away benefits?
3. A plan was drawn up involving them, behind their backs.
Obviously the collaborators are involved in that plan. Each one already has a role to play and a script, and they must implement it themselves. But nobody consulted them to elaborate it!
4. Organizational objectives do not coincide with your personal objectives.
Most people work at a company out of financial need, and not because it's the job of their dreams. This causes them to view the organization's goals as opposite, or at least misaligned with their personal goals.
5. The new system will require more work and fewer benefits.
Joining a new project implies performing other tasks in addition to your own job. Typically, if the plan is well designed, these additional tasks will lead to reduced workload in the medium / long term. But usually employees see the truth in the short term. If at the beginning it requires more, that is the reality.
6. The organization tells them that what they have done so far is wrong.
This is a slap in the face, and it hurts a lot. Although the truth when there is a situation of dissatisfied customers and internal disorder, is that the responsibility lies with the management, when presenting them with a plan before which they have to change the way they do their work, the employees interpret that they say: " What they did so far is wrong, and this is the way they have to do it now. ”
Work on your messages and the way of presenting your proposal to avoid putting your collaborators on the opposite sidewalk. Avoid generating situations that make them resistant to the change you propose.
