OVERCOMING RESISTANCE TO DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: EMPLOYEE PERCEPTIONS, SKILLS GAPS, AND TRAINING INTERVENTIONS

This paper conducts a systematic literature review and thematic synthesis of 52 peer-reviewed studies on Digital
transformation published between 2019 and 2022 to investigate the multiple levels at which employee resistance
is influenced and evaluate the effectiveness of training interventions designed to reduce employee resistance to
digital transformation. An integrative conceptual model has been developed using the Technology Acceptance
Model (TAM), Innovation Resistance Theory (IRT), and Kotter’s Change Management framework to map the
causal relationships between employees’ perceptions and their behavioral responses to digital transformation.
The results indicate that training can be most effective in reducing employee resistance to digital transformation
when it is individualized, psychologically safe, and integrated into the organizational culture rather than
presented as a single technical program. Finally, based on the findings, an original Resistance-to-Readiness
(R2R) Framework is proposed, along with actionable recommendations for designing workforce development
strategies for digitally transforming organizations.