Dealing with Job Reorganization
When youre facing job reorganization, youre also facing stress. You may like your job in its present capacity and wonder why your company wants to change things. Many factors bring about corporate change. Mergers, new technology, job consolidation and simple shuffling to meet bottom line pressures can all be responsible for reorganization that affects you, your job, and your stress level.
Mergers Bring Out Fear
Mergers, one of the biggest reorganization challenges, bring major stress. Companies that merge usually started out as competitors. You thought of the other company as them and your company as us. Now youre being asked to redefine your us to include them. This is not as simple as it sounds. The selection of new department heads and work areas sometimes brings surprise, fear and unhappiness. You fear the new system will need fewer employees to run it. You see former bosses get passed over for someone in the new company. Your feelings of job security are at an all-time low.
Change Isnt Easy
Most people dont react well to change, particularly in large doses. Change is hard for you to accept if you didnt initiate it, dont understand it, or dont approve of it; but once management decides to make a change, rarely does balking help. Your best bet is probably to modify your attitude and accept change.
Management Tasks
Changes are passed down from top management to be implemented by department managers to their employees. If youre a manager, find out as much as you can about why the change is being instituted and how other managers are handling it. Figure out what role youll have in the change. Will you need to sell the idea to your employees? Will you need to provide technical assistance? Will you be the liaison between your employees and the various departments involved? Will you be given the task of developing an effective model for the change? By getting a clear picture of your specific tasks, youll be better able to assist in the change.
You can also help your staff deal with their fears by keeping them up to date on the changes which will occur. Understand their insecurities and hesitancies. Its your job to help them see how the change will affect them positively. If theres no direct benefit to your staff, you may be able to focus on a broad goal toward which theyre working. Ask for their cooperation and give them positive feedback. If you continue to meet resistance, deal with each problem separately and directly. Try to answer all questions honestly. Then, after the change has been implemented, assess its success and look for ways to fine-tune it.
Employee Tasks
Your role as an employee is vital in the companys reorganization. You can assist by acknowledging the need for change, thus making the transitional period go more smoothly. Let the change work to your advantage by using it as an opportunity to showcase your skills and adaptability. Work with your boss to understand the change more clearly. If you have fears, ask questions. See how you can help expedite the change and show that youre willing to invest the energy to make things go smoothly. Demonstrate that you are a team player.
Getting Help in Adjusting
If you find that, after a period of about two to three months, youre still having problems adjusting to the reorganization, talk to your supervisor, human resources department or employee assistance program. As an employee or supervisor, you have the opportunity to grow and change with your company. By accepting change and being a good team player, you can boost your future in the company.
