Resistant to Committed - Home Care Technology Adoption Strategy

When your team is asked to adopt a new system or policy, it's natural for them to feel some resistance. After all, change can be difficult. But with the right attitude from management, your staff can go from resistant to committed in no time.

Here are three tips to get you started.

It is normal for people to resist change. In studies of human brain function, new ways of acting are shown to require more brain power and can produce a psychological and physical stress response¹. The stress associated with change can be exacerbated by:

• Lack of awareness about why the change is being made
• Fear and uncertainty about what the change will mean 
• Lack of visible support from and trust in management or leadership²
• Lack of inclusion in the change³

For managers who are implementing new technology, it is important to anticipate some resistance, at least initially. However, successful organisational change is possible with the right kind of support and leadership. In his research of over 100 companies, Prof John Kotter (1995) found many change initiatives fail not because of a lack of planning but because leaders fail to take people on the journey⁴. Whether your business is large or small, having a considered and personal approach to change is important and can help to make the transition a positive experience for all. Here are our top tips for leading a successful transition to new technology.

1. Accept Different Reactions

There are many factors that influence how people react to change, including previous experiences, satisfaction with their current situation, and fear of the unknown. Accepting these differences is an important starting point for introducing new technology.

New things may be more readily accepted by some people than others. According to Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations model⁵, people can be classified according to their innovativeness and adoption into several categories, with most people falling into the early or late majority categories. This suggests that adoption may be readily accepted by a small number, strongly resisted by a small number, and eventually accepted by the majority.

When thinking about your workplace pay special attention to people who may fit into any of these categories and, therefore, resist the change:

• Employees who are happy with current ways of doing work
• People who have had a hand in creating the current ways of working
• Employees who expect their change will add to their workload

Accepting and addressing differences of opinion, readiness for change and adaptability requires listening, open communication and a personal approach.

"When people feel valued and safe they can be more adaptable"

2. Communicate purpose and mission

Communication is everything. Make sure the vision for the change is clear, understandable, and compelling, regardless of the reason for the change. Lay out why you're changing, what you want to accomplish, and how this technology will help get you there.

Providing a compelling link between your business strategy and technology decisions is not enough. The most important factor for motivating individuals is to demonstrate how the technology will benefit them personally. 

Answer the "what's in it for me?" question.

3. Be a Champion for the Change

A Champion is a leader within the organisation who can guide and support staff through the transition.
In a small organisation, this might be the business owner.
In a larger organisation, a Champion might be a peer who demonstrates natural leadership and influence among staff.

Either way, to be an effective Champion of change you must have the confidence and trust of the staff. 

Champions communicate the rationale for change and the heart behind it.

Being a Champion involves a high level of interaction across the organisation, making personal connections and providing a visible and positive source of support for the change. Most importantly, a champion views the change from a balanced perspective. They are enthusiastic about the change but provide an empathetic approach to those affected by it.

Author: Karen Larsen-Troung

Date: 10th August 2022

At DSC we are experts in implementing software in home care:

• In-person consultations to train and implement the technology across your organisation
• Online training materials and resources for new features or process
• ITSM Compliance Service Desk Process
• Assistance on data migration from legacy system & tailored integration services

Want to learn more? Click Book A Demo at the bottom of the page!

Sources:

1. Scarlett, H (2016) Neuroscience for Organizational Change : An Evidence-Based Practical Guide to Managing Change, Kogan Page: London. 
2. Srivastava, S & Agrawal, S (2020) Resistance to change and turnover intention: a moderated mediation model of burnout and perceived organizational support. Journal of Organizational Change Management. ISSN: 0953-4814
3. Terry, DJ & Jimmieson, NL (2003) A Stress and Coping Approach to Organisational Change: Evidence From Three Field Studies. Australian Psychologist, 38(2): 92-101.
4. Kotter, JP (1995) Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts. Available at https://hbr.org/1995/05/leading-change-why-transformation-efforts-fail-2
5. Rogers, E (2003) Diffusion of Innovations, 5th Edition. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7432-5823-4.