Workshop Title

"Overcoming Resistance to Change in Remote Teams"

Problem

Team members reject new processes or improvements.

Objective

Help understand why resistance to change happens, explore strategies for making transitions smoother, and create a culture that embraces continuous improvement.

Benefits

• Greater acceptance of new processes and improvements
• Improved communication around change initiatives
• Reduced resistance and frustration during transitions
• Stronger engagement through early involvement and feedback
• A more adaptable and resilient team culture

Materials Needed

• 60 mins
• Virtual meeting platform (Zoom, Teams, etc.)
• Collaborative document (Google Docs, Miro, MURAL, etc.)
• Polling or chat function for quick engagement
• Breakout room feature for small-group discussions

Process

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Facilitator welcomes participants and introduces the topic:
  “Today, we’ll explore why people resist change, how it impacts team progress, and what we can do to make transitions smoother.”
• Poll question: “How do you personally feel about workplace changes? (A) I embrace change easily, (B) I adjust but it takes time, (C) I usually resist change at first, (D) I strongly dislike change.” (Share anonymous results.)
• Discuss common reasons team members resist change, such as:
  • Fear of increased workload or complexity
  • Unclear benefits of the change
  • Past experiences with failed changes

2. The Change Resistance Challenge (15 minutes)

Exercise: Why We Resist

• Breakout rooms (3-4 people per group).
• Each group discusses:
  • Think of a time when you or your team resisted a change—what caused the hesitation?
  • What eventually helped people accept (or reject) the change?
  • What could have been done differently to make the transition smoother?
• Groups return and share insights on why change feels difficult and how teams can handle it better.

3. Key Strategies for Navigating Change (15 minutes)

• Facilitator introduces three key strategies for reducing resistance to change:
  1. Communicate the “why” – People need to understand the purpose and benefits behind changes.
  2. Involve the team early – When people feel heard, they’re more likely to engage with the change.
  3. Provide support and adaptability – Offer guidance, training, and room for feedback during transitions.
• Chat question: “What’s one thing that has helped you adjust to a change in the past?”
• Participants share ideas, and facilitator highlights key themes like clear explanations, leadership transparency, and peer support.

4. Practical Application: Creating a Change-Ready Team (15 minutes)

Exercise: Making Change Easier

• Participants write down a change their team recently experienced or will soon undergo.
• They swap examples (or facilitator selects a few).
• Each person redesigns the change approach using one of the key strategies to reduce resistance.
• Example transformations:
  • ❌ A new tool was introduced without explanation, and people avoided using it.
  • ✅ A short demo and Q&A session were provided so the team could see its value before implementation.
• Share responses and discuss how small adjustments improve acceptance of change.

5. Action Plan and Close (5 minutes)

• Each participant commits to one action they’ll take to make upcoming changes smoother for their team.
• Facilitator summarises key takeaways.
• Final poll: “How confident do you feel about helping your team navigate change effectively?”