Many organizations invest significant sums in new, advanced CRM, Cloud, AI, and logistics systems. Globally, hundreds of billions are spent on these systems, with Norway alone spending more than tens of billions on platforms like Salesforce, Microsoft, and SAP. But what happens to the promised value creation, cost savings, and time optimization when these systems are met with resistance from the employees who are supposed to use them?
The systems you buy are only as good as the people who use them. In numerous Norwegian companies and public agencies, these systems and their features gather dust in a digital attic of human resistance, and the value they promise to deliver never materializes.
This isn't a technology problem. It's a behavioral problem.
To understand why, we need to delve into the convoluted pathways of human psychology, as Daniel Kahneman would have done.
When the brain's "Systems" collide with "The New System"
Let's start with Kahneman's core concept: our two thinking systems. System 1 is our intuitive, fast, and emotional system. This is where our repetitive work tasks and daily routines reside, especially when we are familiar with a system. It's what allows us to quickly recognize a face or react instinctively to danger. System 2, on the other hand, is slow, logical, and resource-intensive. It's the system we use when we have to learn something new, which can be strenuous, time-consuming, and cognitively demanding.
When a new system is introduced and sold to employees, management often appeals to System 2. Leaders see the logical benefits: increased efficiency, better customer insight, and streamlined processes. These are rational arguments, and they are completely valid and most often used to motivate employees. But the employees who are supposed to use the system daily often meet it with System 1.
For System 1, the "new system" is a threat to the status quo. It represents a change in work routines, often an increased workload in the initial phase, and a source of uncertainty. Our brains are designed to conserve energy, and System 1 will therefore quickly identify the short-term disadvantage of learning something new over the long-term, but uncertain, gain. The result? Resistance.
Loss aversion: Why the familiar weighs more heavily than the new
Another central concept from behavioral psychology is loss aversion, which states that humans weigh losses more heavily than gains of a similar magnitude. The loss of a familiar and comfortable workflow feels more painful than the potential gain of a more efficient workday, far off in the "future."
When your salespeople have used "SalesFORCE" for years, they have internalized a specific way of working. They know how to find the information they need, how to log activities, and how to navigate the system. The transition to a new system represents a loss of mastery, a loss of time invested in learning the old system, and a loss of the mental comfort that comes with working with something familiar. Despite the new system being objectively better, System 1 will automatically focus on the immediate loss rather than the future gain.
From Psychology to Productivity: Making Change Stick
Despite all these psychological barriers, employees are usually expected to embrace system changes based on logical arguments alone. This is an approach that is often doomed to fail. Instead, we must "nudge" those who will use the system in the right direction and work with how employees actually approach change. By:
Making it easiest to choose the new system: Reduce friction as much as possible. Ensure that training is intuitive, easily accessible, and focused on immediate gains for the individual user. Can the first experience with the new system be so seamless that System 1 barely registers it as a change?
Focusing on small, immediate gains (and losses): Instead of talking about large, future benefits, highlight the small, daily improvements the system provides. What saves time right now? Can a lack of system use lead to immediate, albeit small, negative consequences? If the gains are perceived as important to the individual and not just at an overarching level, the likelihood of adoption increases.
Utilizing social proof: Humans are social beings, and we are heavily influenced by what others do. Highlight internal success stories. Showcase colleagues who are using the new system effectively and let them share their positive experiences. This can create a norm where using the new system is seen as a positive, helping to establish a standard.
Offering default choices and "gentle nudges": Make the new system the default option. If possible, integrate it so deeply into the daily workflow that actively choosing not to use it becomes a cumbersome detour that requires more time and energy than just following the new flow. It can be a good idea to try to link the new system to already existing routines.
Acknowledging and addressing resistance and uncertainty: Don't dismiss resistance as irrational. Acknowledge that change is difficult and that it's natural to feel a certain discomfort or uncertainty. Offer support and a platform to vent frustration, and use this information to improve implementation. Take feedback seriously; even if not all of it is acted upon, it should be made visible that the employees' viewpoints have been considered.
The investment in a new system is significant, and there's a great risk that it could become twice as expensive as intended if companies, in addition to buying them, fail to get employees to use them. It's not just about implementation and IT support, but about a deep understanding of human behavior.
By acknowledging and navigating resistance, we can transform a costly roadblock into a real opportunity. It's about designing the systems and the processes around the new implementation in a way that works with, rather than against, our inherent human way of acting.
