The Real Reason Employees Resist Change (And How to Fix It)

You’ve heard it before:

“We just need our people to be more adaptable.”

But here’s the truth most leaders miss:

Employees don’t resist change. They resist change they don’t trust. (read that again)

And trust doesn’t come from a well-written email or a slick rollout plan.
It comes from meaning.

If People Don’t See Themselves in the Change, They Won’t Move With It

Change-readiness isn’t a personality trait, it’s a response to how the change is led.

When employees ask:

• Why this?

• Why now?

• What does this mean for me?

• Will this actually make things better?

…most organizations answer with strategy, not certainty.

And without that certainty, people hold back; quietly, unconsciously, and destructively.

Three Simple Shifts to Create Trust in Change

If you want people to move, you have to lead the part of change most leaders skip: the human interpretation of it.

Here’s how to start:

1. Make the why personal

This isn’t just about the business, it’s about them.
Help employees understand how the change relates to their personal interests, not just the organization's needs.

Try: “This helps us become the kind of team/organization that can…”

2. Show that the future is better

Don’t just name the change, paint the outcome.
What becomes possible if this works? What pain will it solve?

People won’t trust the change unless they trust what it’s leading to.

3. Create space for meaning-making

Let employees process out loud. Ask:

• What feels hard about this shift?

• What would make this easier to get behind?

• What do you need in order to trust where we’re going?

When leaders skip this step, change feels like a disruption.
When they slow down to lead it well, change becomes a direction.

Too often, leaders blame “change fatigue” when employees hesitate. But fatigue isn’t the root problem; mistrust is. When we rely on fatigue as the excuse, we miss the real picture: people aren’t tired of change, they’re tired of changes that don’t make sense to them.

Build trust, make the why personal, and give space for meaning-making, and you’ll find your people aren’t resisting at all, they’re ready to move forward with you.