You ever walk into a meeting and hear someone say, “But that’s how we’ve always done it”? Yeah. That one sentence can stop a good idea dead in its tracks.
I’ve seen it happen everywhere. It’s one of those quiet killers of innovation — not loud, not dramatic, but dangerous. People don’t usually resist because they hate new ideas. Most of the time, it’s fear, confusion, or just… comfort. The familiar feels safe.
But here’s the hard truth: comfort doesn’t grow a company. And if your business is rolling out new software, new systems, or even a new process, resistance to change in the workplace is the one thing that’ll make or break it.
So, let’s talk about how to spot it early, how to break through it, and how to help people actually want the change instead of fighting it.
Why “We’ve Always Done It This Way” Feels So Safe
Think about it. Change is exhausting. It messes with routines, adds new tools, makes people feel unsure.
For a lot of employees, new software or new workflows don’t just mean “better productivity.” It means learning something from scratch, worrying about job security, maybe even losing that sense of control they had before.
And honestly? Sometimes leaders underestimate that emotional side. They push rollout deadlines and assume everyone will “get on board.” But people aren’t machines. That’s why overcoming user resistance isn’t really about forcing change. It’s about helping people feel safe enough to move with it.
Step 1: Call It Out — Gently
When someone says, “We’ve always done it this way,” don’t roll your eyes or shoot it down. That phrase is like a defense mechanism — a way to protect what’s familiar.
“Yeah, and it’s worked well for a long time. But what if there’s an easier way?”
Small shift, big difference. You’re not attacking their experience — you’re inviting curiosity. Curiosity is your best friend in software implementation change management.
Step 2: Start with the “Why,” Not the “How”
Too many change rollouts start with instructions: “Here’s the new tool. Here’s the training. Here’s the login link.” But if employees don’t understand why the change is happening, none of it sticks.
When rolling out new systems, start by connecting it to something people actually care about. Tell them how it’ll make their day smoother, cut down on those annoying manual steps, or maybe just stop those endless spreadsheet updates that nobody enjoys.
Step 3: Find Your Early Adopters (and Let Them Shine)
In every company, there’s always that one person who loves exploring new tools before everyone else. Find them. Empower them. These are your “champions.” They can do what no executive email ever will — build trust.
When peers see a coworker using a new system confidently, it lowers the collective anxiety. That’s how software implementation change management works best — not top-down, but side-by-side.
Step 4: Make Training Human
Training is where most change programs fall apart. Companies roll out long webinars, packed with jargon, and expect everyone to walk away inspired. Spoiler alert: they don’t.
Good training should feel like a conversation, not a lecture. Short sessions. Real examples. Even a few laughs.
A salesperson doesn’t need to learn what a system admin does — they just need what helps them close faster. That’s how you overcome resistance to change in the workplace — not by pushing, but by personalizing.
Step 5: Give Space for Feedback (Even the Grumpy Kind)
Here’s a mistake I’ve made — and seen too many leaders make too. They roll out new software, say, “Let us know if you have feedback,” and then… ignore the feedback.
If you really want people to engage, you gotta show that their input matters. Set up real-time feedback loops. Run open forums. Have someone from IT or enablement hop into department meetings just to listen.
And when people complain? Don’t take it personally. Complaints mean people care enough to engage. Silence is worse.
Step 6: Celebrate Small Wins
It sounds cheesy, but this part works. When someone in finance uses the new dashboard and saves two hours — shout it out. When customer support automates a ticket workflow — mention it in your next all-hands.
People follow momentum. They want to be part of something that’s working. Recognition builds belief. And belief is what kills resistance faster than any memo ever will.
Step 7: Don’t Treat Go-Live as the Finish Line
This one’s huge. Most change management projects celebrate “Go-Live Day” like it’s the end of the marathon. But it’s actually mile one.
People don’t adopt new systems just because they’re launched. They need reinforcement, ongoing help, and continuous enablement.
The real success comes from what happens after go-live — consistent nudges, role-based training, and someone who can step in when things get messy.
Step 8: Connect Change to Identity
People resist change when it threatens who they think they are at work. For example: “I’m the Excel expert — now this new dashboard makes my role pointless.”
When that happens, reassure them their expertise still matters — just in a new context. Instead of replacing their skills, show them how the new tools extend them.
Step 9: Lead by Example (Even When It’s Awkward)
If leaders don’t use the new system, no one else will. Period. People watch what leadership does, not what they say.
That means logging into the new platform, taking the same training, asking questions — even making mistakes publicly. It’s not weakness. It’s leadership. When your team sees you learning, they’ll feel safer doing the same.
Step 10: Bring in Outside Help (When You’re Too Close to It)
Sometimes you’re just too deep in it to see clearly. You’ve explained the same benefits fifty times, and it’s still not clicking.
That’s when an outside perspective can help. Change experts can come in, spot blind spots, and build communication and adoption plans that don’t sound like internal noise.
They’re not emotionally tied to “how things used to be.” They can focus on what works now. So if you’re tired of fighting the “we’ve always done it this way” battle alone…
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, people don’t hate change — they hate feeling left behind by it.
Overcoming resistance to change in the workplace isn’t about better PowerPoints or stricter rules. It’s about empathy, communication, and creating safe space for people to adapt.
Once employees feel heard,supported, and part of the process, they’ll surprise you with how fast they move forward. So next time you hear “we’ve always done it this way,” don’t roll your eyes. Smile. Because that’s not a wall — it’s just a door waiting to open. Check out our client success story.
Tired of Fighting the “We’ve Always Done It This Way” Battle Alone?
Make change something your teams actually want, not something they fight.
