Page 108 - Anne Bruce - Building A HIgh Morale Workplace (2002)

88 Building a High Morale Workplace

Use the Rumor Mill
Plenty of experienced managers have used the rumor mill for
their own benefit. Managers sometimes go so far as to leak a
message regarding new policies, unacceptable employee behaviors,
upcoming announcements, or impending changes.After all, business
moguls, politicians, and celebrities have been successfully using this tac-
tic with the media for years as a way of influencing public opinion.

Manager’s Morale Challenge #2: Resistance to

Change and Authority

People tend to resist change, especially in the workplace.
They may not understand what the changes entail, they

may disagree with the reasons for making the changes,
they may not appreciate the benefits, they may be afraid
of losing something they value, they may be concerned
that they won’t have the skills and ability to handle the

changes .... Many people also tend to resist authority, for
various reasons. Resistance can do serious damage to
morale, dividing employees and causing frustration,
resentment, and distrust.

You’re trying to make some changes to improve the way

your unit works. All of your employees are accepting the
changes, more or less—except two people. Those individuals
are resisting, questioning the changes, complaining about them.
Their resistance is beginning to disrupt the unit and affect
morale. What should you do?

You’ve worked darn hard to develop an environment that
encourages honest and open feedback, so now’s the time to use
it. Whatever you do, don’t avoid the problem just because the
two employees are performing adequately. If they’re negatively
affecting morale, then it’s time to take charge and get things out

on the table. Invite the resisters to offer their input to you in pri-
vate. Take the approach that the information you will receive
may transform into positive results for everyone involved.
Try the following ways to handle employees who are nega-
tively resisting the changes you’re attempting to initiate.