Resisting change - watch out for that train, buddy

I would think some people resisted the advent of (automated teller machines) ATMs when they first launched. ATMs are 50 years old this month and became widespread 20 years back. Can any of us imagine life without ATMs?

I am sure some people thought that ATMs would eat up the jobs of bank clerks and create a bankapocalypse! But today there are more bank employees than ever, more bank jobs and more banks then there were 20 years back. Dispensing money has become a mundane task, better left to a machine. Whereas 20 years back, it was a serious profession and working at a bank would automatically entitle a clerk to an elevated social status.

So I asked my team, some of whom have been at the similar job for 20+ years - can we do (this) differently? their answer was expected - we have done this, this way, for years now. Why change a working formula? Why indeed?

I told my team that their time would be better utilized if we used automation, better documentation, new CaFM software, etc. They of course agreed, but did they see it as a threat to their jobs?

Yes there is a threat, but not to their jobs, but to their comfort zones. Take that, routine!!