Mitigating Resistance to Change: Face-to-Face versus Digital Communication Channels

Abstract: This study aims to discover the impact of face-to-face and digital communication channels on effective communication, focusing on their roles in mitigating resistance and creating readiness for change, ultimately leading to a reduction in resistance during change processes. The result is generated through a mixed method: literature research that reveals the role of communication in change processes, identifying key criteria of effectiveness of the communication that are used to analyze the effects of the channels; online surveys with 58 respondents to acquire the status quo of how individuals are communicated about changes, perceptions of advantages and disadvantages of the channels respectively, and the preference of communication channel that individuals would like to be communicated with; interviews with 10 professionals from diverse industries to acquire perceptions of communication channel effects from a managerial perspective, discovering complementary factors related to the effectiveness of communication. The findings demonstrate that there is no significant difference between face-to-face and digital communication channels in terms of effectively conveying change information. However, the use of face-to-face communication channels substantially contributes to fostering a sense of community within organizations. These results suggest that a pragmatic and accessible approach involves employing a combination of face-to-face and digital communication channels to enhance the effectiveness of communication in change processes. Face-to-face communication channels are particularly advantageous for addressing complex issues, while digital communication channels serve as valuable reinforcements to the overall communication process. The study contributes to an existing literature gap by using a mixed-method approach, contributing to future empirical studies on the subject of communication channels and resistance to change, and offering practical implications for managers in communication, human resources, and related fields to adapt and tailor their communication strategies for effective change management.