Transition Pains: Recognizing Employee Reactions to Organizational Realignment in a Disruptive Context

Abstract

This paper introduces the use of a pain analogy in exploring employee reactions in organizational change processes. Perceiving the signaling function of an individual pain experience as a call to action, we present a conceptualization of transition pains: emotional pain experienced by organizational members related to processes of change in the context of disruptive external change (i.e., transition). The transition context leads to realignment of strategy, policies and work organization. When these are not aligned or even contradictory, this creates confusion and an individual can experience incongruences. Pain symptoms such as tension or stress may act as signals that there is an imbalance between job demands and resources. This perspective supports practitioners in the interpretation of responses during a change process and offers interventions focused on developing resources and reducing incongruences.