ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE AND EMPLOYEES RESISTANCE

Resistance to change by employees is a serious challenge confronting many organizations. Several factors have been suggested to explain why employees resist change at the workplace. Some of the factors include job autonomy, self-efficacy and transformational leadership. The main objective of this study is to determine the relationship between organizational change and employees resistance in Federal College of Education, Zaria.. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a sample of 323 academic staff of the college. Correlation and regression analysis techniques were used to analyse the data collected. The study revealed that; there was significant negative relationship between job autonomy and employees resistance to change, there was significant positive relationship between self efficacy and employees resistance to change, and there was a significant positive relationship between transformational leadership and employees resistance to change. The study concluded that academic staff of FCE, Zaria accepted change when it occured. It was recommended that academic staff of FCE, Zaria should not be given total freedom or control over their jobs to avoid negligence of duty. More so, the study recommended that the potential contribution of self- efficacy in minimizing the tendency of academic staff‟s resistance will have practical implications for selection and recruitment in the college. This is because an individual who is high in self-efficacy is less likely to engage in resistance to change. The study also recommended that the management (leaders) of FCE, Zaria should realize that instead of motivating their employees by punishment or rewards, they should create a vision and inspires subordinates to strive beyond required expectations.

The world today is changing at an unprecedented rate, and the environment within which organizations operate is characterized by instability resulting from increased global competition, technological innovation and change, limited resources, deregulations and privatization. Change is an unavoidable phenomenon arising from the dynamics of environment and it is inevitable for an organization that desires to grow, achieve its mission, vision and objectives. Organizations have to adapt to the environment to become competitive and stay ahead or at least keep afloat. Work processes and rules are revised, new equipments are introduced, product lines are dropped and added, and workforce is adjusted as internal and external conditions change.

The question now is why do employees resist change? How do organizational leaders engage employees in the change process and manage the workforce transition associated with these changes? How do they formulate strategies for coaching employees going through major transformations? Understanding the psychological and behavioural roots of employees resistance to change is integral to understanding how to manage and support employees going through major transitions in the workplace.