Employee segmentation according to their level of resistance1
SUPPORTERS UNDECIDED WORRIED
Approve change immediately
Positive strength for the change process
Critical issue with supporters:
 Involve supporters from the beginning in
the change process to use their band-
wagon effect
 Do not disappoint them
UNDECIDED SKEPTICS
Perceive the change in progress positively,
but are against it a priori
They can potentially become supporters
or, opposite, opponents
Critical issue with undecided skeptics:
 Understand the precise reasons pushing
them to distrust the change in progress
 Manage these reasons to help
transforming them into supporters; show
in what manner the current change might
not fail and be more positive than their
past experiences (resonance effect)
1 Source: Pendlebury, Grouard, Meston (1998), “The 10 keys to successful change
management”, Wiley
Usually accept change once they
understand its purpose, but consider the
current results as having a negative impact
on them
They can potentially become supporters
or, opposite, opponents
Critical issue with undecided worried:
 Understand the reasons of their indecision
related to the change in progress
 Manage these reasons in order to
transform them into supporters; show
what they can get out of the change for
them as individuals
OPPONENTS
They are against the change in progress
They fight against change in general
Negative strength for the change process
Critical issue with opponents:
 Accept that opposition to change exists
 Resolve it as much as possible
 Put aside the influential opponents that
could damage or even bloc the change
process