Influence of participation, trust and training on employee resistance to change

Abstract

This study addresses the factors that give rise to resistance to organizational change in companies from the administrative and service sectors. The main purpose was to analyze, through a quantitative and descriptive approach, the elements that generate the greatest opposition among employees during internal transformation processes. A structured questionnaire was applied to a sample of 304 employees from different hierarchical levels, using a five-point Likert scale that assessed eleven indicators associated with resistance. The information collected was processed using the statistical software SPSS v.26 and examined through the Pareto chart technique, which made it possible to determine the relative weight of each factor in overall resistance. The data showed that five factors concentrate more than 80% of the identified resistance: lack of participation in the process, previous negative experiences with change, distrust toward management, weak leadership, and insufficient training. These elements are linked to the human dimension of change, particularly to communication, trust, and the perception of institutional support. To a lesser extent, other elements such as cultural rigidity, work overload, and job insecurity also contribute to the overall context of organizational resistance. The study underscores the importance of designing strategies that prioritize participation, leadership, and continuous training to strengthen the acceptance of change within contemporary organizations.