Dealing with people who don't like change

[Farmerlife]

I work in a small business - just over 100 people. All office jobs though we have hybrid working and overall more time is probably spent WFH than in the office.

The business had grown through small acquisitions and one team that came into the business that way almost 4 years ago still isn't using the same processes and systems as the rest of the business simply because they don't want to.

Their way of doing things is out of date. They would be more productive if they changed. It would make it easier to integrate them more fully into the business if they changed.

We're not talking about any complex or bespoke systems or software - just your everyday ways of working that the vast majority of businesses utilise.

I'm not in a position to put my foot down and insist they switch, but my work is affected by having to work to their processes and I don't think it's reasonable for them to think they have a right to say no.

I have raised the issue with senior management but they seem reluctant to do much about it despite wanting them to move over. I think they don't want the hassle and it doesn't really impact on them day to day.

I've offered to demonstrate how easy it is to use. Any other strategies you can suggest if the bosses aren't going to take control?

I’m generally in favour of people getting with the programme, but if they came as a team and are working well perhaps leave them be?

I suspect your bosses don’t want to fix what isn’t broken and have staff attrition as a result.

Without senior leadership buy-in for change you’re facing a mountain with no equipment to climb it.

The best way to bring about change is to involve all parties and understand their work and their frustrations and work with them to develop a process that works for them and the wider team. Be honest about the challenges other teams face and find solutions together. Teams that are involved in the development and who feel actively listened to will be far more willing. “Doing“ change to someone or a team will never land well or bring effective change. They need to understand, be understood, and see it benefit them.

It is broken. They just don't accept it is because they don't want change. The bosses realise it is but they are very soft touch management.

They work in a way that everyone else did in the past and I am totally certain that if you asked across the rest of the business they would say the way we do things now is better and easier.

They haven't got an argument not to change beyond not wanting to. It's not even that they are all resisting but the more opinionated members talk for the rest of the team.

I don’t think you can really, if management aren’t prepared to tackle it. Just keep chipping away at the more receptive members of the team and wait for some of the hardliners to leave.

Also, maybe drop it for a bit to reduce the entrenched positions stand-off.