4 Tips For Tackling Change Resistance When You Desperately Need New Technology

March 25, 2025

By John 'Ogie' Sheehy, Global CEO at ViClarity

Productivity was a trending topic in boardrooms last year, and economists don’t expect the demand for speed and efficiency to change in 2025. It may even ramp up.

Although new technology can offer relief for legacy organizations competing in a fast-paced economy, leaders still struggle to onboard new solutions, especially when familiar processes are deeply embedded in a company culture. Although such resistance to change can be found anywhere within an organizational structure, certain roles tend to over-index on tech hesitation. Process owners, for instance, are notoriously resistant to change. After all, it’s been their job to keep workflows running smoothly, often by relying on methods they’ve personally refined over time. Suggesting new technology can feel like a threat to their expertise or value to the organization.

Fortunately, there are best practices for overcoming resistance to change when an organization desperately needs an assist from tech. Here are four of them.

1. Involve process owners early.

Some degree of staff resistance is almost unavoidable. Staff may not see anything wrong with how they currently operate. They may also be nervous about the learning curve of new tech. For that reason, new-tech advocates must start by collaborating with key influencers, such as process owners. Involving them as early as possible in the exploration and procurement of new solutions can smooth even the bumpiest of implementation roads.

It’s important to show these influential individuals how their teams will benefit as early adopters. Whether this is through automation of manual processes, enhanced decision making, increased operational efficiency or improved reliability, effective tech makes people look good; often, it makes them look really good. By demonstrating how new tools can enhance—rather than replace—their contributions, new-tech advocates can earn authentic, if not also enthusiastic, buy-in from the new technology’s intended super users.

Of course, advocates should avoid taking a show-and-tell stance. Listening is a critical component of establishing a trusting relationship with process owners. It’s the most empathetic way to instill confidence in key stakeholders that they’ll get the support they need to learn and teach the new system.

2. Be ready to show ROI.

Ranking just behind productivity in trending boardroom discussions, ROI remains a pivotal focus for today’s leaders. After all, C-suite executives bear the brunt of the consequences when a tech investment fails to deliver results.

If the C-suite perception is that the organization has been managing just fine, executives may see the implementation of new technology as rocking the boat. They need to see clearly how the proposed solution will maintain calm seas while producing greater wind in the sails of the organization. Whenever possible, new-tech advocates should quantify anticipated returns, calculating hours and costs associated with reducing manual work.

When returns are “soft” (e.g., fostering creativity or strategic thinking), advocates can link them to tangible metrics, such as reallocating 10 hours saved weekly on data gathering to drive innovation, customer engagement or competitive analysis.

Similarly, improved decision making accuracy can lead to faster project completions, fewer errors and enhanced agility. By tying soft benefits to measurable outcomes—such as increased revenue from new initiatives, improved employee satisfaction scores or higher retention rates—advocates can build a compelling case for ROI.

Importantly, advocates should follow through on measuring pitch-time tangibles, demonstrating results at 60, 90, 180 days and beyond to build credibility and ease future requests.

3. Prioritize the employee experience.

New-tech advocates can also face obstacles in the shape of their organization’s lack of resources or internal expertise. Especially today, as organizations battle unprecedented levels of burnout, leaders are guarding their teams’ time and skills. They may not see learning new tech as a worthwhile endeavor, particularly if they’re shouldering the burden of overly stressed team members.

To address these concerns, it’s helpful to go into a tech procurement phase with a plan to prioritize the employee experience. Advocates should shop around for providers and technology that are flexible and configurable enough to work with an organization’s time and expertise constraints. A good example is the intuitiveness of the solution, which can translate to something as simple as the naming of buttons in the software. Configurable solutions might offer the ability to rename buttons to match the organization’s internal terminology and, therefore, make the employee (user) experience a real positive.

Here’s a pro tip for assessing a tech provider’s flexibility: Meet with the vendor’s implementation specialists during the get-to-know-you phase. This gives a feel for the provider’s willingness to adapt their platform to fit unique needs. It also offers an opportunity to gauge their responsiveness, commitment to training, problem-solving skills and ability to collaborate effectively with internal teams.

4. Address cybersecurity head-on.

Third-party cybersecurity risk dominated headlines in 2024, leaving many executives understandably cautious about collaborating with unfamiliar providers. Concerns often center on the extent of access providers will have to the organization’s systems and sensitive data.

Management of third-party risk is extremely important and requires a meticulous hand, not to mention a crystal-clear view of any potential partner’s cybersecurity policies and procedures. To prevent cyber fear from becoming productivity paralysis, advocates should budget a right-sized amount of time for due diligence, during which the following steps can be conducted with multiple vendors:

• Check for conflicts of interest.
• Ask for references.
• Outline the required criteria.
• Conduct background checks.
• Request insurance certificates.
• Review cybersecurity policy, procedures and liabilities.

Turning Hurdles Into Stepping Stones

As 2025 unfolds, organizations have a unique opportunity to leverage technology to boldly pursue the corporate priorities of productivity, efficiency and innovation, even in the face of resistance to change. By involving key stakeholders early, demonstrating measurable ROI, prioritizing employee experiences and mitigating cybersecurity risks, new-tech advocates can turn potential hurdles into stepping stones. With thoughtful planning and a collaborative spirit, these intrepid leaders will help their organizations not only adapt to a fast-paced economy but thrive in it, laying the foundation for yet another transformative year.

Originally published in Forbes Technology Council on March 5, 2025.