Whether you’re leading a company, family, ministry or a sports team, leadership isn’t easy. The process can be equally grueling and rewarding. In the workplace, leadership can be cutthroat because lots of money, accounts and systems are in the mix. So when the challenge of reorganization comes across your lap, it can be very stressful to successfully guide a company through the changes. However, even though there are a lot of difficulties that can potentially arise, there are ways to face the reality of reorganization and help your employees successfully readjust.
- Decide if it is truly necessary.
First, it’s wise to sit down and truly assess whether a reorganization is necessary or not. In many cases, it might be. However, this shouldn’t be the default move in all cases. When a company is consistently in a state of transition and reorganization, this can create a sense of anxiety within the hearts and minds of the employees. It’ll be harder to attract a group of employees that will want to a company if said company is always bringing new people in and transitioning older employees out. It’s also difficult to maintain a high level of productivity when the employees are mainly focused on whether or not today is their last day within a specific department or on the job. Sit down with the board of advisors and really analyze if there’s any other way to approach the changes that need to happen.
- Prepare your employees as much in advance.
When reorganization is totally unavoidable, it’s best to sit down with your employees and prepare them in advance. Once they know and understand the restructuring that’s taking place, they’re less likely to be taken off-guard and feel disgruntled about what’s going on within the company. Staff meetings, one-on-ones, and regular communication through emails are helpful. When employees are kept in the loop, they’re more likely to feel at ease and respected.
- Plan ahead for a smooth transition.
When it comes to a major reorganization process or transition period, things don’t have to be supremely stressful. Consider hiring an interim manager to help you walk through the process in the most professional and smooth way. There’s a way to guide your employees and if you don’t know how to do it, it’s time to enlist the help of someone who can. An advisor, business mentor or board member can offer expertise, as transitions are a normal and vital part of any company’s growing process. Overall, it’s so important to remember that change is inevitable. As the company changes, you might meet a fork in the road where you’ll need help. Don’t be ashamed to reach out and ask for assistance.
- Maintain outlets.
Leadership can be filled with stress and anxiety on its own. The stakes get a lot higher during a transition period. In order to deal with the potential stress, it’s best to maintain personal outlets. While it may be tempting to allow work to suck up all of your personal time, resist it. Exercise, quality time with loving family and friends and hobbies are always helpful outlets. Take time for self-care whether it involves a great massage, dining out or unplugging from all work devices after 6 pm. This will help you maintain your sanity through it all.
- Be open to listening to your employees for improvement.
Once this transitional experience is over, it’s wise to sit down and survey your employees to find out what the transition felt like from their vantage point. Ask them honest questions about things they liked and didn’t like. Listen for common concerns and take note of those points for the future.
Is your company contemplating a reorganization? Management reorganization, business strategy and goal setting are several of our areas of expertise at DeSantis Trusted Advisors. Contact us for more advice.
