Experiencing Resistance: How Rank-and-File Employees in Private BPOs in Metro Manila Respond to Communicated Organizational Change

Abstract

Metro Manila’s private Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector experiences frequent organizational changes within a culturally diverse and fast-paced environment, where Filipino \values influence employee perceptions and responses. This qualitative case study, grounded primarily in Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model, supported by Piderit’s Multidimensional View of Attitudes Toward Organizational Change, and Lewin’s Change Theory, investigates how rank-and-file employees experience and respond to change communication, the factors driving resistance, and the communication strategies that minimize resistance and encourages support. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with six employees directly impacted by organizational changes and analyzed inductively to identify themes of emotional and cognitive responses, core resistance factors, and effective communication strategies. Findings reveal that resistance arises from multiple factors including Meeting New Organizational Demands, lack of transparency, fear of losing control, individual career goals, and leadership credibility. Effective communication strategies involve inclusive participation, multi-step leadership framing, two-way forums, cascading updates, and leader approachability, which reduce uncertainty and build buy-in. However, consistent with the theoretical frameworks, communication alone cannot overcome resistance if changes are perceived as harmful or unfair. The study highlights that successful change requires communication strategies that address both cognitive understanding and emotional acceptance, alongside reasonable change content. These insights provide practical guidance for BPO organizations aiming to improve change management by integrating theory-driven communication practices with cultural and organizational realities.