Helping Staff Who Resist Change: Leading Through the New World of Work

Alright, let’s get straight into it—change is the only constant these days, and that can be a real headache for staff who feel like the goalposts keep moving. Whether it’s new software, organisational restructures, or evolving team goals, not everyone is going to jump on board. And that’s normal. But as leaders, it’s our job to bring people with us—not drag them behind us.

This blog is for anyone navigating resistance in the workplace and looking for practical ways to introduce change in a way that actually sticks.

1. Do the groundwork before you even table the change

This is the part that separates good leaders from great ones. Too many skip the prep and go straight to the pitch. What I do before I mention a single change is:

• Check the temperature: I casually ask folks, “What’s frustrating you right now?” or “If you could change one thing, what would it be?” That helps me see where their heads are.

• Build trust: Because if your people don’t trust you, they won’t follow you—especially not into discomfort. Be present, consistent, and honest. Walk the floors, show up in meetings where you're not “needed,” and for the love of coffee, stop replying to emails when someone’s talking to you.

One leader I knew blocked out 60% of their day just to be available to staff. Walked the floor, said hi to everyone by name, jotted requests down in a notebook, and followed up on every single one. That’s how you build trust.

2. Introduce change like you’re introducing a new staff member

You wouldn’t just drop a new person into the mix without a proper introduction, some training, and time to settle in. So don’t do that with change either.

• Tell the story: “We’ve been dealing with [specific pain point], and it’s costing us time and morale. Here’s what we’re trying to solve.” People don’t rally behind data and presentations—they rally behind shared problems.

• Test it first: Pilot the change with a small group. Let others see the proof of concept. When they see their mates say, “Hey, this actually helped,” it lowers the walls.

3. Coach through resistance—don’t steamroll it

This one’s big, I've made this mistake myself in the past. People resist for all sorts of reasons—fear of not being good at the new system, anxiety about job security, or just good old comfort with the old way.

So don’t bulldoze.

• Acknowledge the resistance: Say, “I know this is a shift, and it’s going to feel weird for a while.” It helps people feel seen.

• Ask and listen: I once had a staff member nearly derail a new process because no one had asked her how it would affect her workflow. When we finally brought her into the discussion, she had two suggestions that actually improved the rollout.

• Mentor through the dip: Pair your confident adopters with your hesitant ones. Let them share wins, help troubleshoot, and just be there as a “buddy” during the bumpy start.

4. Make wins visible and feedback regular

Here’s what happens if you don’t show progress—people assume there isn’t any.

• Celebrate small wins: Even a 10% improvement in efficiency is worth shouting about. “Hey team, since the new tool launched, we’ve cleared 50 more tickets a week.” That stuff matters.

• Open the feedback loop: Use anonymous forms, open forums, or just one-on-one chats to find out what’s working and what’s not. Then act on it. Nothing kills trust faster than asking for feedback and doing nothing with it.

5. Use the right tone—and mean it

Your tone sets the culture around change. If you sound defensive, arrogant, or impatient, people will match that energy. Instead, try things like:

• “We’re going to test this together.”

• “Your experience matters—we’re listening.”

• “This isn’t the final version. Help us improve it.”

It signals humility, openness, and shared ownership.

Bonus: Real-life example

At a previous role, we introduced a digital booking tool. The loudest resistance came from the service lead who had her whole life set up around phone calls to patients. We didn’t try to convince her with a slick demo. Instead, we asked her to walk us through her system. I listened. I took her pain points back to the project team. We tweaked the tool so it worked better—and when we relaunched. It took time and feedback from her staff before she believed it was making a difference, no showing her the 50% improvement in productivity in fancy PowerBI reports.

That’s the difference empathy and inclusion make.

Final word: Change is human first, technical second.

No one loves being uncomfortable. But when people feel safe, respected, and heard, they can do amazing things—even when everything’s changing.

Your role as a leader isn’t to have all the answers. It’s to create an environment where people are willing to find them with you.