1. Fear of job lossWhen a business introduces new technology or restructures, employees may worry their role will become unnecessary. This fear leads to anxiety and low morale. If management does not address it clearly, small worries can grow into strong resistance that slows or blocks the change. 2. Fear of failureSome employees do not feel confident they can learn new skills or use new systems. They are afraid of making mistakes or falling behind. Without proper training and support, this fear reduces productivity and turns into resistance before the change even begins. 3. No clear benefit communicatedStaff are more willing to accept change when they can see what is in it for them, such as better job security, new opportunities or improved working conditions. If management does not clearly explain the benefits, employees see the change as unnecessary or threatening, making it much harder to get buy-in. 4. InertiaMany employees are comfortable with familiar routines. Even when a change is an improvement, it disrupts what they know. Without strong leadership that creates a clear vision and inspires confidence, employees stay tied to old habits and slow down the whole process.

1. Open communication and consultationManagement explains clearly why the change is happening, what it involves and what the benefits are for staff. Employees are given the chance to ask questions and raise concerns. This reduces fear and rumours. People are far more likely to support a decision they understand and have had a say in. 2. Training and resource supportThe business provides workshops, one-to-one coaching or online training so staff have the skills to adapt. When employees feel prepared and capable, anxiety about the change drops. This is especially important when new technology or software is being introduced. 3. Lead by exampleManagers who visibly embrace the change, adopt new systems themselves and stay positive set the tone for the whole organisation. When leaders are consistent and enthusiastic, staff take their cue from them and are more willing to get on board.

Driving Forces (for closing)	Restraining Forces (against closing)
Lower costs (5/5) — Running one restaurant cuts rent, wages and utility bills dramatically, reducing financial pressure on the business.	Loss of revenue (4/5) — Closing two restaurants removes income streams the business already has. Even if costs fall, overall profit may not improve.
Simpler operations (4/5) — Managing one site makes it much easier to maintain quality, train staff consistently and monitor performance.	Staff redundancies (4/5) — Letting staff go is costly, both financially and in terms of reputation. It can also damage morale among remaining employees.
Refocus on quality (3/5) — Returning to the original location allows the owners to concentrate on what made the first restaurant successful and restore the brand identity.	Loss of loyal customers (3/5) — Customers at the other two locations may not travel to the original site. The business risks losing a significant part of its customer base.

Decision / FindingThe driving forces total 12, the restraining forces total 11. On balance, the driving forces are slightly stronger. Closing the two additional restaurants would give the business better financial control and a clearer brand identity. However, management should consider ways to retain regular customers and support affected staff through the transition.

Driving Force 1: Growing demand for organic productsThere is growing demand for organic products in Europe and Asia. This gives EverGlow a clear market opportunity to expand into and increases the chance the business will be successful in new markets. Driving Force 2: Potential to save money through economies of scaleProducing at a larger scale reduces the cost per unit. As EverGlow expands, it can negotiate better deals with suppliers and spread fixed costs over more sales, improving its profit margins. Restraining Force 1: Financial risk from currency and funding challengesEverGlow is concerned about changing exchange rates and the difficulty of securing sufficient funding. These financial uncertainties make the expansion riskier and could affect the business if the investment does not deliver the expected returns quickly enough. Restraining Force 2: Established competitors in new marketsThere are already well-established businesses operating in the markets EverGlow wants to enter. Breaking into these markets and convincing customers to switch from existing brands is a significant challenge.

May result in employees feeling isolatedRestraining force. Employees working from home two days a week may feel cut off from the team. This could reduce morale and team cohesion, which is an argument against the change. May bring about a higher likelihood of confidentiality breachesRestraining force. Employees working from home may use less secure networks or have less oversight, increasing the risk that sensitive business information is accessed or shared inappropriately. May lead to difficulty in monitoring employee productivityRestraining force. Managers cannot easily observe staff working from home. This makes it harder to measure output and ensure employees are staying on task. Would fulfil an element of the Corporate Wellness ProgrammeDriving force. Giving employees flexibility to work from home supports their work-life balance and wellbeing. This aligns with the business's stated commitment to employee health and satisfaction.

What contingency planning isContingency planning means preparing back-up plans or procedures in advance so a business can deal with unexpected events or crises. What it involvesThe business identifies possible risks, decides what procedures to follow if those risks happen, and assigns responsibility to specific people so everyone knows their role in a crisis. What it helps the business doA good contingency plan means the business can respond quickly, protect its assets, keep serving customers and minimise financial damage. For example, many businesses that had no contingency plan in place suffered serious losses when Storm Eowyn hit Ireland in January 2025.

Option 1: CostPreparing a contingency plan costs money. The business needs to pay for things like staff training, backup equipment, insurance and securing alternative suppliers. Management must weigh up the cost of being prepared against the potential loss if a crisis happens and there is no plan in place. For example, a restaurant might spend money installing a backup generator. It is expensive, but it could prevent a full shutdown on a busy evening if the power goes out. Option 2: TimingThe more suddenly a risk can happen, the more detailed and ready the plan needs to be. If there is no time to think during a crisis, the response must already be agreed and practised. For example, a cyberattack can lock a business out of its own systems in seconds. Emergency access procedures and a backup system must be set up in advance so the business can keep working without delay. Option 3: RiskNot all risks are equally likely or equally damaging. The business should focus most of its planning on risks that are both highly likely to happen and would cause the most damage if they did. It is not possible to plan for every scenario, so prioritising is essential. For example, an online retailer should prioritise a backup ordering system in the run-up to Christmas, when a technical failure would be most costly.