A Closer Look at Resistance to Change

Three Categories of Resistance
Change Management

Three Categories of ResistanceIntroductory Case Study: Transition to a Flexible Work Environment

In 2001, all non-computer products and services of the Ottawa branch of Hewlett-Packard were grouped into a new company called “Agilant” and moved out of the existing branch office. The remaining one hundred employees at the Ottawa branch office were solely responsible for the sales and servicing of Hewlett-Packard’s latest computer systems and software programs. At the same time, those at the Ottawa branch embarked upon a change initiative called “New Generation Workplace” (NGW), whose objectives were to reduce fixed office space costs by significantly reducing the number of desks and at the same time to move from a traditional to a flexible work environment. These changes had been mandated by headquarters in the United States. After these two changes, the size of the physical office was reduced by 35 percent and employees were encouraged to spend less time in the office by working from home.

Effective in March 2001, the majority of employees in the sales, servicing and marketing departments were no longer entitled to a designated desk space. In exchange, they were offered a choice between two drawers or space in a filing cabinet. A reduced number of workstations were made available by a reservation for a period of one to three days at a time. When they had not reserved a desk, employees were expected to work from home or out of a client’s office.

Initially, this initiative was met with skepticism. As one employee said: “We’ve lost the privilege of calling a certain desk our own, but the whole project hasn’t changed things all that much. I’m not sure if they’ll be getting rid of more desks in the future or not. For the time being, for all the hype there are still just as many people in the office as ever.” Sales members whose quotas were dependent upon team performance were also skeptical of the new approach. One sales employee stated: “By nature, sales people require high affiliation, so it won’t work.”

>> This paper is one chapter from Dr. Carol A. Beatty’s e-book, The Easy, Hard & Tough Work of Managing Change. The complete e-book is now available on our website at no charge: Download

 

Receive email updates
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

You May Also Like

ARTICLES

Alison Darling
News
Queen’s IRC has a new website and participant portal!
As Queen’s IRC’s Director of Professional Programs, I am delighted to share we have launched a new website, compl...
Do employees have the right to work from home?
Labour Relations
Do Employees Have the Right to Work from Home?
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, global workforces experienced a sudden and forced shift into remote wo...
Bridging Differences: Techniques for Building Conflict Competence
Human Resources
Bridging Differences: Techniques for Building Conflict Competence
Interpersonal conflict is unavoidable, but the good news is there are many strategies you can develop to help strengt...

PROGRAMS

A group of people sit against a large window with desks in front of them.
Workplace Restoration
Addressing a Toxic Workplace to Rebuild Relationships and Productivity.
Two sets of hangs tugging a rope in different directions.
Strategies for Workplace Conflicts
Practical and Effective Conflict Resolution Skills for Managing Everyday Workplace Disputes.

Share this article

Page link
Copied!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.