Reorganization at your work place: 4 tips to come out Victorious

 

I have been for less than ten years in the labor market now and have been victim few times of a virus that contaminates more and more our today’s employee life: the company reorganization (or also called “restructuring”).  I also saw few friends of mine having had to face reorganizations with varying success. All this feedback enables me to give you here some tips on how to face serenely a reorganization and how to come out victorious from it.  

First of all, here is my definition: a reorganization is a restructuring of the company personnel inducing either the hiring (pretty good sign), the dismissals (oups), or the turnover of the company’s staff. A reorganization may occur in the wake of a merger or an acquisition of the company with another one, or again following the adaptation of the company to market demand.

A reorganization may threaten your employment thus the financial security of your family. Such an event may psychologically be a painful experience that has to be taken seriously. Therefore the first obvious but necessary advice I give you is the following:

Tip: talk to your close ones about the reorganization occurring at your work place and share with them your concerns and questions.

Obviously your close ones do not know better than you what is happening in the company you work for. But it is highly important that you share your thoughts with them. If you do not follow this advice you will internalize your fears and will suffer needlessly.

Furthermore my experience showed me that best attitude to adopt in order to face a reorganization successfully is to step back and consider this as a sport contest. Sport contest during which you have to be more professional and smart that your opponent in order to come out victorious and serene. Keep in mind the following: you have not ended so far in your life by chance. Your experiences, hardships, victories… You’ve gone through them and a reorganization cannot take you away this. Life throws a reorganization on your way? Ok we’ll see about that…

Tip: consider the reorganization as a sport contest during which you have to be more professional and smart than your opponent.

These first advices given, let’s now have a deeper look at what a reorganization of personnel really looks like. Picture at the beginning of this post shows the walk you will have to work through during a reorganization. This walk is generally composed of four phases: first are the rumors; then the official announcement; then a wait-and-see period; and finally the establishment of the new organization. Let’s now have a look at each of these phases.

Phase 1: Rumors

This phase is one of the most stressful ones. Indeed you start hearing loosely based rumors about a coming reorganization at your workplace. These rumors worry you and come from various sources: colleagues, internet, press, etc.

Having experienced this kind of situation, here is my advice: 

Tip : do not listen with attention the rumors about a coming reorganization at your worplace. Instead, continue delivering quality work.

Indeed these rumors will worry you and above all they will waste your time. Instead of this, remain professional and continue to provide quality work as it is what will serve you the most whatever happens afterwards.

Phase 2: Official announcement

During this phase you will learn from a trusted source (as instance your direct manager) that the company will be reorganized. This person will present you one of the following scenarios:

·        You are told that your actual position will certainly not be under threat (good news as first sight). However it might be possible that one announces you that your employment will be relocated soon in a new workplace, or that you will be transferred on a new job.

·        You are told that your actual position will certainly be under threat (here it gets slightly complicated).

·        Nothing is explained to you about the future of your actual position (you are really not lucky).

Generally you do not get accurate details regarding the future of your job. This is because the future company organization is still very vague at this phase of the process. Whatever the info you get, I recommend the following:

Tip: whatever the info you get regarding the future of your job, start looking actively and discreetly for a new position.

Start looking for a new job as soon as the reorganization is announced by your trusted source, even if this person ensure and confirm you that your job will not be threatened. Indeed do not forget that absolutely all employments are under risk during the restructuring. Your managers will not hesitate to save their skin instead of yours if finally they would have to choose between those.

Purpose of looking for a new job is to give you an advantage during the coming third step. Do the maximum to get an offer corresponding as much as possible to your expectations. Not to follow this latest tip caused me some cold sweats when I faced my first reorganization. Follow this tip.

 Phase 3: Wait-and-see period

During this phase the management staff will define the future company organization, without further communication to other people.

Be careful, this period may not only be very long (e.g. more than one year) but also stressful and demoralizing. Indeed rumors circulate during this phase and you can be told that your position is under threat without having a clear confirmation of it. However the company still asks you to do your work as usual and to put all these concerns aside.

Even if it is difficult, I recommend you to keep a cool head and remain professional during this phase. This means to continue to provide a quality work and to look for a new job in parallel.

Phase 4: Establishment of the new organization

All the new teams are defined in details then the reorganization is officially announced and will be established. Different cases may be presented to you:

1. Your actual job will not be cut (congrats!). However few changes may happen to you as a change of your working team or of your workplace.
2. Your actual position will disappear. In this case the company may propose you an internal move, or may make available to you means to look for a new job.
3. Future of your position is still unknown. In this case you have to actively continue your job search.
4. You already have found a job in another company. You have the choice to leave or not the company whatever one announces you.

You can understand easily that whatever the news you get from your actual company, having found another job elsewhere is ideal as backup plan.

 

In short

• A company reorganization (restructuring) may threaten your job and your financial security.
• In order to cope with this, remain professional and consider this career event as a sport contest from which you have to come out victorious.
• Do not listen rumors and continue to provide quality work.
• Look discreetly for a new job in order to have a joker in hands during final announcement of the new organization, in which you might not be included.

Now give me your view in the comments section on the following:

1) Which problems do you face with regards to the restructuring of the company you work for

2) What would help you if you actually live a reorganization?

To your success.

Julien