The Contribution Of Public Relations In Reducing Employee Resistance To Organisational Change: The Case Of Saudi Telecommunication Company

Abstract

Resistance to the process of organisational change is damaging to an organisation and its employees as it is regarded as a significant reason for failure in executing the process. This study explored employee resistance to organisational change in Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Telecommunications Company (STC) and how public relations (PR), can act as one of the initiatives to implement changes successfully. This research had three objectives: to understand the role of public relations in Saudi Telecommunications Company based on the principles of relationship management theory, to analyse employee resistance issues during organisational change in Saudi Telecommunications Company based on aspects of Lewin’s change management theory, and to recommend a public relations framework to manage employees’ resistance to organisational change in Saudi Telecommunications Company. The study adopted a qualitative research design, and the data were collected using in-depth interviews, which were conducted with 12 public relations Saudi Telecommunications Company employees at the company’s headquarters in Riyadh and five other Saudi Telecommunications Company branches in Jeddah, Mecca, Al-Madinah, Dammam, and Abha. The informants, who comprised public relations directors and practitioners in the public relations departments of each of the six Saudi Telecommunications Company branches actively engaged in change management, were selected using the purposive sampling method. These individuals possess relevant expertise in addressing internal challenges that have the potential to impact the company’s image, such as employee resistance. The obtained data were analysed and organised using the thematic analysis method. Findings revealed that organisational change can leave some employees with negative emotions of fear, a lack of identity, a lack of motivation, and elevated stress levels, which can lead to increased levels of employees’ resistance to change. Thus, public relations can help the management system and employees reduce this resistance by involving employees in the change process, creating a more positive environment, and building better relationships and effective communication. The findings also indicate that the public relations department plays a crucial role in augmenting organisational performance through effective communication, reputation management, stakeholder engagement, crisis response, and strategic decision-making. Ultimately, the study offered several implications and recommendations for future studies on the role of public relations in Saudi Arabia in response to employee resistance.