Employee resistance to reforms of public service units in China: varies by age

PurposeAlthough much attention has been paid to understanding employee resistance to reform, little study has been done to explore the effect of employee resistance to public service units' (PSUs) reform in China. To address this need, this work aims to investigate the antecedents of employee resistance to PSUs' reform, especially from the perspective of the heterogeneity of the employees' age.Design/methodology/approachThis study considers the PSUs in Harbin, China, as an example and uses survey questionnaires to analyze the factors influencing employees' resistance when PSUs reform. Besides, the authors developed a research model based on the status quo bias theory, the equity-implementation model.FindingsAccording to the applied research model, employee resistance to PSU change is primarily influenced by perceived switching costs and benefits. According to their age, this survey also confirms how the employees responded to the reform implementation.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this empirical study inform suggestions for the sustainable development of PSUs and organizational transformations. Overall, this work advances the theoretical understanding of employees' resistance to PSUs’ reform, thereby offering practical insights for managing employee resistance during organizational change.Originality/valueOverall, given that employee resistance emotion exists in an organization, this study offers theoretical and practical implications for change management strategies.