04 Winning Hearts and Minds: Converting Resistance into Change Advocacy

  

From Resistance to Ownership: How HR Turns Skeptics into Change Champions

In today’s organisations, resistance is often labelled as a problem—something to “manage,” “fix,” or “push through.” But as I’ve learned through my HRM studies and workplace experience, resistance is rarely the real issue. The real issue is disconnection: people feeling unheard, unprepared, or uncertain.

The story of Vanguard Logistics illustrates this perfectly. Leadership launched a cutting-edge digital platform, confident that it would modernise operations and strengthen customer service. But the people the system depended on? They weren’t convinced.

Warehouse teams hesitated.
Supervisors questioned the purpose.
Managers dreaded “mandatory training.”

HR Director Sofia Malik sensed that the issue wasn’t skill, effort, or attitude. It was emotional: fear of relevance, fear of being left behind, and fear of not being included.

This story aligns closely with many ideas explored throughout my HRM module: behavioural resistance, psychological ownership, change leadership, and human-centred transformation.

Understanding Resistance: What My Learning Taught Me

Sofia began with a principle deeply reinforced in my coursework:
Listen before acting.

Through listening forums and informal conversations, she heard:

  • “We weren’t involved in planning this.”

  • “I’m scared I won’t keep up.”

  • “The last few initiatives didn’t work.”

  • “This seems like something leadership wants, not something that helps us.”

These statements echoed academic theories I studied. Resistance is often driven by:

  • fear of loss (Oreg, 2006)

  • feelings of exclusion

  • previous change fatigue

  • uncertainty about personal value

  • lack of meaning (Armenakis & Bedeian, 1999)

This reinforced a key module insight: change does not fail because people resist; it fails because people feel unheard.

Reflecting on my own professional experiences, I recognise this pattern clearly—people aren’t against change; they’re against being changed without having a voice.

From Theory to Practice: HR’s Framework for Building Ownership

Sofia designed a people-centred change strategy grounded in HRM theory and best practice—an approach that aligns strongly with the emerging HRM perspectives we explored in class.

1. Involve Employees Early (Psychological Ownership)

Cross-functional pilot groups co-created the digital platform rollout.
Employees didn’t just adopt the system—they shaped it.

Van Dyne & Pierce (2004) show that psychological ownership decreases resistance and increases engagement. This is exactly what unfolded at Vanguard.

Best-fit insight:
Instead of assuming what employees needed, HR adapted the change process to organisational culture and employee context.

2. Activate Peer Influence (Social Behavioural Theory)

Sofia identified informal influencers—the respected employees others naturally followed.

These ambassadors became:

  • storytellers

  • mentors

  • early adopters

  • problem-solvers

Kotter (1996) highlights the power of coalition-building. Peer-led change is more authentic, less intimidating, and far more sustainable.

Experiential reflection:
I’ve seen in my own roles that employees trust colleagues more than top-down instructions. This strategy mirrors what successful global change initiatives look like—distributed leadership rather than executive push.

3. Celebrate Small Wins (Momentum Theory)

HR highlighted early achievements:

  • first 50 digital shipments

  • teams reducing operational errors

  • managers successfully using dashboards

Kotter’s research emphasises that small wins generate confidence, motivation, and forward motion.

This practice also reflects an emerging trend in HRM: recognising micro-achievements to build psychological safety and positive emotional energy.

The Cultural Transformation: When Ownership Replaces Resistance

Once people were included, the cultural shift became visible.

Employees offered solutions instead of complaints.
Managers coached instead of instructing.
Teams adopted new behaviours without coercion.

Sofia captured the heart of the matter:

“Resistance wasn’t the problem. Exclusion was.
Once people felt ownership, resistance turned into advocacy.”

This resonates strongly with the global debate in strategic HRM about the move from “compliance-based change” to “participation-based transformation.”

Change is no longer something HR enforces.
It’s something HR facilitates through empowerment, voice, and shared meaning.

Measurable Organisational Results

Six months after the new approach:

  • digital adoption grew from 30% → 95%

  • operational errors fell by 22%

  • engagement scores climbed

  • future initiatives faced less pushback

These outcomes support academic research: involvement, influence, and recognition directly increase adoption, trust, and organisational performance.

Reflective Learning: What This Story Teaches About Modern HRM

Across this module, my understanding of HRM has expanded from administrative processes to strategic behavioural influence. This story illustrates many of the emerging HRM theories we’ve explored:

  • Behavioural HRM: understanding the emotional drivers of resistance

  • Strategic HRM: aligning change with employee needs, not just organisational goals

  • Emerging perspectives: psychological safety, co-creation, peer-led influence

  • Global SHRM debates: people-first change as the differentiator in digital transformation

Writing about this story in a social learning environment allows me to reflect more deeply and refine my understanding through collaborative discussion. HR is becoming a profession built on dialogue, empathy, and evidence-based practice—and blogs like this help strengthen those capabilities.

Conclusion: Resistance Isn’t the Enemy—Disengagement Is

Vanguard Logistics discovered a universal truth:
People don’t resist change—they resist exclusion.

HR’s role is no longer to “manage resistance,” but to:

  • listen

  • involve

  • empower

  • activate peer influence

  • celebrate progress

  • build ownership

When employees shift from observers to co-creators, change becomes not just possible—
it becomes unstoppable.

Skeptics become champions.
Barriers become bridges.
And HR becomes the architect of participation, voice, and momentum.

References

  1. Oreg, S. (2006). “Personality, Context, and Resistance to Organizational Change.” European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology.

  2. Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Harvard Business School Press.

  3. Armenakis, A. A., & Bedeian, A. G. (1999). “Organizational Change: A Review of Theory and Research.” Journal of Management.

  4. Van Dyne, L., & Pierce, J. L. (2004). “Psychological Ownership and Feelings of Possession: Three Field Studies Predicting Employee Attitudes and Organizational Citizenship Behavior.” Journal of Organizational Behavior.

  5. Hiatt, J. (2006). ADKAR: A Model for Change in Business, Government and Our Community. Prosci.

  1. McKinsey & Company (2021). “Organizational Change: How Leaders Can Transform Resistance into Participation.”

  2. Deloitte Human Capital Trends (2020–2024). “Employee Engagement in Transformation Initiatives.”

  3. Gartner (2022). “Creating Change Champions to Accelerate Adoption.”

  4. Prosci (2021). “Best Practices in Change Management: Engagement Drives Adoption.”

  5. Harvard Business Review (HBR) (2018). “Why Transformation Efforts Fail.”

These videos help reinforce the idea of How HR Builds Ownership in Change Initiatives 👇

🎥1. “Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model Explained”

Shows how celebrating wins and building champions accelerates adoption.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NKti9MyAAw

🎥2. “How to Lead Change When Employees Resist – Harvard Business Review”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l4WB6J9cJ4

🎥3. “Simon Sinek – Start With Why: How Leaders Inspire Action”

Why meaning and purpose reduce resistance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA

🎥4. “ADKAR Model of Change Management – Prosci”

Step-by-step guide to building adoption and participation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh4tG6B6A_c

🎥5. “The Psychology of Change Management – McKinsey Insights”

Explains emotional and behavioural drivers of resistance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KpZ7Sma7Fk

Comments

  1. Nimal Jayarathnage Sumeda Jayarathna - E268252 6 December 2025 at 06:40

    This is a powerful and insightful reflection on the human side of organisational change. You’ve highlighted a crucial truth that many leaders still overlook: people rarely resist change itself—they resist feeling unheard, unprepared, or disconnected from the process. The example of Vanguard Logistics brings this to life, showing how emotional barriers such as fear of relevance, past failures, and lack of involvement can undermine even the most well-designed transformation initiatives.

    Your explanation beautifully aligns with contemporary HRM theories on psychological ownership, behavioural resistance, and human-centred transformation. By emphasising Sofia’s approach—listening first, understanding the emotional drivers of resistance, and acknowledging employee concerns—you capture the essence of what modern HR leadership truly requires. This mirrors what we’ve learned in HRM: lasting change happens not through force or mandates, but through empathy, involvement, and shared purpose. Your analysis effectively shows how HR can turn skeptics into advocates by building trust, creating space for honest dialogue, and ensuring people feel included in shaping the future. A very well-articulated and meaningful reflection.

    In your experience, what is the most effective way to turn employee resistance into support—giving people a voice in decision-making, addressing emotional concerns early, or demonstrating visible leadership commitment to the change?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kavishka Ratwatte6 December 2025 at 07:44

    I love how you move past treating resistance like a problem and instead see it as a sign people feel disconnected. The Vanguard Logistics example makes all those ideas, psychological ownership, peer influence, behavioral HRM feel real, not just theory. Also, the way you tie listening, co-creation and getting people involved to actual results stands out. It makes the academic stuff hit home and shows these HR strategies actually work.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yohan Maleesha (E146329)6 December 2025 at 20:30

    Your article offers a clear and insightful perspective on how HR can strategically address the growing skills gap in today’s rapidly changing workplace. I especially liked your emphasis on blending digital capabilities with essential soft skills—showing that true readiness comes from both technical strength and human adaptability.

    The learning approaches you highlighted, from microlearning to AI-driven development, provide practical and forward-thinking ways to make upskilling more continuous and aligned with real business needs. Your focus on fostering a culture of lifelong learning also stands out, reminding us that skill growth is a shared responsibility between individuals and organizations.

    ReplyDelete

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