The Top Reasons to Make Org Structure Changes
When business circumstances change, roles and responsibilities often need to shift accordingly and you will need to communicate org structure changes.
The most common examples from our change management simulation include changes in competition, strategy, culture, leadership, team members, decision-making, and performance. Unfortunately, leaders report that up to 80% of org structure changes fail to produce the desired benefits.
And much of that failure to restructure teams and companies can be attributed to poor change communication practices.
The Perils of How You Communicate Org Structure Changes
When employees hear rumors that you are planning an org restructure, they tell us that they immediately worry that their jobs, their status, and their identity are in jeopardy. The bad news is that, sometimes, they are right. The good news is that, done right, org structure changes should help strengthen the people AND the business.
So, what can you do to alleviate employee concerns, gain their buy-in for org structure changes, and continue necessary day-to-day performance?
It’s All About Active Involvement and Communication
Change management consulting experts all know what can go wrong. If you adopt a “wait and see” approach to announcing org changes, you are likely to create rumors that sabotage the change effort. During change, the silence never gets filled in with positive information. A lack of active involvement and unclear communication almost always results in increased suspicion and fear of massive job losses.
On the other hand, an overly enthusiastic CEO who touts the advantages of the changes early on is apt to seem uncaring and unprepared. Why? Because it is hard for employee to get excited about a future that they may no longer be part of, and it is unsettling for leaders to “not have all the answers.”
To conduct a successful reorg, you need to actively involve as many people as possible who will be most affected by the change in the process and ensure that communications are frequent, transparent, two-way, and understanding of the employees’ point of view.
How to Better Communicate Org Structure Changes
Based upon data from when we assess organizational cultures, here are four field-tested tips:
The Bottom Line
Organizational restructuring is fraught with consequences that threaten the health of your culture and business. Are you doing all you can to communicate organizational changes in the “right” way?
To learn more essentials for leading change, download the 5 Research-Backed Perspectives of Change that Must Be Addressed During a Reorg
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