MANAGING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE IN LONG-SERVING STAFF
Written by Melissa Eales
Change is an inevitable part of every establishment’s growth. Whether it involves introducing an online booking and stock system, changing a service menu, updating hygiene protocols, rebranding, or adapting to new ownership or management, change can create uncertainty, particularly among long-serving staff.
For an employer, it may be tempting to label an employee who resists change as “difficult” or “stuck in their ways”. However, resistance is often more complex than a personality flaw. A long-serving employee may be responding to the fear of losing familiarity, competence, status, relationships, or the methods that have contributed to their success over many years.
Once a manager understands resistance as a process rather than a personality flaw, it becomes something that can be managed, supported and, in some cases, even turned into an ally for change.
Why Long-Serving Staff Resist Change Differently
Every establishment in the Hairdressing, Cosmetology, Beauty and Skincare Industry eventually has to change something, whether it is new till software, a rebrand, a change in the service menu, updated hygiene protocols or a new owner altogether.
Long-serving staff members may respond to these changes more strongly than newer employees because they have built years of routine, identity and pride into “the way things are done here”. A change to systems or structure can feel like a change to their own competence and standing in the establishment, rather than merely a change to a process.
This does not necessarily make long-serving staff obstructive. In many cases, it means they are invested. The challenge for owners and managers is to recognise that resistance from a tenured team member is rarely only about the change itself. It is often about what the change appears to threaten: identity, mastery, relationships or job security.
There is also a quieter pressure at play. A senior Hairdresser who has trained many junior employees may feel embarrassed at the thought of fumbling through a new system in front of people who once looked to her for guidance. A Beauty Therapist who has built a client book on trust and familiarity may worry that a new online diary will make her feel replaceable.
None of these concerns is solved by simply instructing staff to “get with the programme”. They are better addressed by acknowledging that status, competence and belonging are just as real to protect as any job title.
Understanding Resistance Through the Kübler-Ross Change Curve
One of the most widely used frameworks for understanding how people respond to change is the Kübler-Ross Change Curve, adapted from the original work of Swiss-American psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross on the stages of grief.
While Kübler-Ross developed her original model to describe how people process loss, change management practitioners have subsequently applied the same emotional stages to workplace change. The underlying idea is that people may experience a sense of loss when they are required to let go of something familiar.
It is important to recognise that the workplace Change Curve is an adaptation of the original grief model and should not be treated as a scientifically fixed or universally linear process. People do not necessarily move through the stages in a straight line, and some may move backwards and forwards between stages before settling into acceptance.
The curve typically moves through five stages:
Denial: The initial stage where staff may minimise the change, assume it will not really happen, or continue working exactly as before.
Anger: As the reality of the change sets in, frustration may surface, often directed at management, new systems, or colleagues who seem to support the change.
Bargaining: Staff may attempt to negotiate a middle ground, asking to keep old methods alongside new ones or proposing compromises to soften the impact.
Depression or low morale: A dip in energy and engagement may occur as staff come to terms with what is being lost. This can appear as disengagement, reduced confidence, or reduced productivity.
Acceptance: Staff begin to explore the new way of working, regain confidence and eventually reach a point of commitment or ownership of the change.
For an employer in an establishment environment, recognising what a Hairdresser, Beauty Therapist, Nail technician, Barber or receptionist may be experiencing is more useful than simply labelling the behaviour as “resistance”.
A senior Hairdresser who repeatedly forgets to log stock on the new system may still be adjusting to the change. A team leader who becomes frustrated during a training session may be experiencing uncertainty or embarrassment rather than defiance for its own sake. These behaviours can be signals that the process of adjustment is still underway.
Applying the Change Curve in the Establishment
Bringing the Kübler-Ross Change Curve into the Hairdressing, Cosmetology, Beauty and Skincare Industry means matching the response to the stage, rather than applying a single blanket approach to every team member.
A junior Barber and a Hairdresser with twenty years of industry experience may sit in entirely different stages of the curve during the very same staff meeting. A single, one-size-fits-all announcement will therefore land differently for each of them.
In denial, keep communicating the change calmly and consistently. Repetition is not nagging. It is often what finally allows the message to land.
In anger, resist the urge to shut the conversation down. Give staff a safe space, such as a short one-on-one discussion, to express their concerns and be heard before asking them to move forward.
In bargaining, be honest about what can flex and what cannot. A long-serving Hairdresser may genuinely have a better way of doing something within the new system. Invite that input where it is workable.
In low morale, watch for withdrawal, increased errors or reduced engagement, and respond with support and clarification where the difficulty appears to be linked to adjustment or a lack of training. Extra coaching or a buddy system with a confident team member can help. However, employers should still distinguish genuine adjustment difficulties from misconduct, unauthorised absence or ongoing performance concerns that require appropriate management.
In acceptance, recognise and reinforce the progress. A quiet word of appreciation to a long-serving Hairdresser who has embraced a new booking system can do more to cement the change than any memo.
The objective is not to excuse every form of resistance or to remove accountability. It is to understand the reason behind the behaviour before deciding on the most appropriate response.
Turning Resistance into Involvement
Long-serving staff often possess valuable institutional knowledge. They understand client preferences, established routines, service expectations and the practical realities of the establishment. Excluding them from the change process can create unnecessary resistance, while involving them can help the employer identify problems before they become larger operational issues.
For example, a long-serving employee may object to a new stock system because the system does not reflect how products are actually used during busy periods. Another employee may resist an online booking system because they are unsure how to correct an appointment error or assist a client who prefers booking in person.
The employer should therefore ask practical questions such as:
What part of the change concerns you most?
Which existing process do you believe may be affected?
What would make the new system easier to use?
What training or support would help you feel more confident?
Is there a practical problem with the proposed change that management has not considered?
This approach does not mean that every objection must be accepted. It means that resistance can provide useful information about training gaps, communication failures, unrealistic expectations or practical difficulties in implementation.
Research on organisational justice, support and leader-member relationships also highlights the importance of employees feeling that they are treated fairly, supported and heard during periods of change.
Practical Takeaways for Establishment Employers
Communicate early, clearly, and more than once. Awareness is the foundation of every later stage of acceptance.
Treat resistance as information, not automatically as insubordination. Investigate the real reason behind it rather than reacting only to the surface behaviour.
Give long-serving staff a genuine role in shaping how a change is implemented, not only in being told that it is happening.
Explain why the change is necessary. Employees are more likely to engage when they understand the purpose, expected benefits, and effect on their role.
Expect an emotional dip before the turnaround. Plan support and patience into the implementation timeline rather than treating every delay as a failure.
Provide practical training and accessible guidance. A written guide, demonstration, checklist or buddy system may help employees who are uncomfortable asking questions in front of colleagues.
Maintain reasonable accountability. Support should not be confused with overlooking misconduct, deliberate refusal to follow lawful and reasonable instructions, unauthorised absence or sustained performance problems.
Acknowledge and reinforce the moment staff reaches acceptance, so the new way of working is recognised and rewarded, not simply expected.
Pair a long-serving team member with a confident and patient colleague during the early weeks of a new system, so questions can be asked privately rather than in front of the whole floor.
In conclusion, change is a constant in the Hairdressing, Cosmetology, Beauty and Skincare Industry, from new hygiene requirements to new point-of-sale systems, revised operating procedures, changes in ownership or changes in management style.
Long-serving staff are not necessarily the enemy of that change. They are often among an establishment’s most valuable assets, carrying institutional knowledge, client loyalty and credibility with the rest of the team.
By understanding resistance through a framework such as the Kübler-Ross Change Curve, owners, employers and managers can respond to what staff may actually be experiencing, rather than simply reacting to what they see on the surface.
The Change Curve should be used as a helpful guide rather than a rigid formula. When combined with honest communication, practical training, employee involvement and fair management, it can help employers navigate resistance more constructively.
A little patience, clear expectations, and a genuine willingness to listen can help turn an establishment’s most resistant voice into one of its strongest champions for change.
