Public Employees' Resistance to Organizational Change

Resistance to organizational change among public employees is a significant challenge for public sector organizations, as it directly impacts their effectiveness. This researcher explored the inability of public leaders to manage such resistance effectively, aiming to deepen understanding of its root causes, the role of leadership during change, and how leaders can influence employees’ responses. Using a flexible, multiple case study design, the research examined two educational organizations undergoing similar changes in distinct contexts. The researcher employed a conceptual framework based on existing literature, incorporating key ideas, including specific factors that contribute to resistance, effects of resistance to the success of change implementation, and how public organizations can actively influence employee attitudes toward change. The research also included the transformational leadership theory to assess its relevance and impact within public institutions. Therefore, the researcher examined two schools in Saxony, Germany, that went through substantial organizational changes, focusing on digitalization with a similar scope but differing organizational structures and operational environments. By focusing on front-line workers and organizational leaders as the primary actors driving change, the researcher emphasized their central role in either facilitating or hindering progress. To ensure a robust and ethical research process, data collection primarily involved 28 semi-structured interviews with front-line staff and analysis of relevant organizational documents. Overall, the study shed light on the complex interaction between leadership and employee resistance in public organizations, suggesting that effective leadership, particularly transformational leadership, can play a vital role in mitigating resistance and ensuring smoother implementation of change initiatives.