Resistance to change: A roadblock for digital transformation in logistics and how to overcome it

The dynamic nature of consumer demands and industry trends make ‘change’ an inevitable component in businesses. 

As industry experts foresee a revolutionary digital transformation in enterprise logistics, resistance to change is a prevalent roadblock hindering its execution. Organizations experience several second thoughts and ‘what if’s before a digital transformation in logistics, and this resistance can occur due to several rational and stereotypical dilemmas.

What are the primary factors spurring the resistance?

Stepping out of a familiar workflow might seem scary without proactive planning. The resistance to change enterprise logistics unfolds in psychological, economic, and managerial aspects.

Primary factors that lead to a company-wide resistance to digital transformation are:

Management

Fear of not achieving the expected results

What if digital integration fails to provide the expected results?

A significant shift from manual-driven operations to automated ones is expected to bring about optimum ROI to the company. Manufacturers often fail to justify digital implementation’s efficiency and financial returns, resulting in resistance at grassroots levels.

Lack of visibility into the post-transformation workflow

What will the optimized workflow look like in the long run?

Resistance is prevalent in a transformation process that does not pre-define the operational changes. Lack of visibility into the post-transformation roadmap and the organization’s response to the new changes can catalyze resistance.

Lack of expertise to drive the transformation initiatives

What are the right competencies to drive the change?

Businesses require two types of expertise to supervise and execute the transformation initiatives-technological and human. The lack of one affects the overall digitization strategies and ignites resistance towards digital transformation.

Employees

Pushback due to fear of losing job security

Will digitization affect job security?

An underlying factor that gives rise to resistance from employees is the fear of losing their jobs to AI or bots. Employees might misperceive the shift to digital logistics as a threat to their respective jobs, and lack of awareness strategies strengthens this misconception, leading to strong resistance from employees.

Fear of complexities in digital logistics processes

Will digital transformation bring about more complexities?

Adopting new technologies requires specialized training and the stakeholders within the enterprise might perceive it as a complex task. This unwillingness to break the barriers of a familiar logistics model and the fear of complexities result in resistance.

Lack of visibility into the benefits for employees

How will the transformed workflow help logistics stakeholders?

Digital transformation in logistics provides optimum benefits for the stakeholder teams- logistics, operations, finance and sales. Organizations shall communicate these expected benefits to the employees, encouraging participation.

Change management- How to overcome the resistance?

Change management is a collaborative step towards overcoming resistance to change in logistics. Some significant ways logistics leaders consider to overcome this resistance:

Communicate the bigger picture with the teams

Efficient and data-backed communication can help teams gain insights into ‘what,’ ‘why,’ and ‘how’ queries about digital transformation. It is essential to map the drivers behind the change and actionable initiatives to execute the transformation.

Specify the upcoming changes in the logistics workflow

A proactive roadmap of the digitally transformed workflow can help businesses understand and prepare for the upcoming changes. Strategic analysis of the available data and mapping of the expected changes in logistics processes provide visibility into the post-transformation scenario.

Lay down the expected benefits

Strategic evaluation of the expected cost-savings, efficiency parameters and profitability dynamics provides visible insights into the post-transformed benefits. These valuable insights build confidence in the overall work culture.

Address the employees’ fears

Organizational initiatives are crucial to acknowledge the employees’ fears and uncertainties over job security and digital expertise. Awareness and information strategies are essential for resolving prevalent dilemmas.

Welcoming a revolutionary change in logistics

It is crucial to understand that any change in logistics management is a cultural change for the overall organization. The resistance to change is a typical response; manufacturers can address this barrier with efficient addressing, planning, management and collaboration. Strategic initiatives can enable optimum participation from the operational teams during the transformation.