High-risk strategies to overcome employee resistance

High risk strategy definition

Tactics used by managers during a change process that gives employees cause not to embrace change, where the risks of backfiring and causing resistance is enhanced potentially creating conflict between management and employees.

Manipulation as a High Risk Strategy

The skilful or devious exertion of influence over employees get them to do what you want during change.

Types of manipulation during change

- Withholding important information (usually negative)
- Telling people what they want to hear
- Highlighting only positive aspects of change
- Over praising

Advantages of Manipulation as a High Risk Strategy

- Immediate response to change
- Cheaper then low risk strategies

Disadvantages of Manipulation as a High Risk Strategy

- Low employee motivation, leading to higher turnover and absenteeism
- Conflict and feelings of resentment to managers
- Inferior quality of change as the vision may not be met

Threats as a High Risk Strategy

The suggestion that some sort of negative consequence will occur if employees fail to follow a requested change

Advantages of using Threats as a High Risk Strategy

- Some employees respond well to stress
- Expanded skill set
- Immediate response to change
- Cheaper

Disadvantages of using Threats as a High Risk Strategy

- Low employee motivation, leading to higher turnover and absenteeism
- Conflict and feelings of resentment to managers
- Inferior quality of change as the vision may not be met

Advantages of using High Risk Strategies

- Ensure change will occur immediately and successfully
- Will allow change to go through quickly during times of crisis or when it is unpopular
- Low cost

Disadvantages of using High Risk Strategies

- Fosters a negative corporate culture of mistrust and lies
- Leads to a poor employee and employer relationship
- Leave employees feeling nervous, undervalued and resentful, increasing turnover and absenteeism