8 Questions Employees Ask During A Reorganization

A company reorganization can be a time of significant change and uncertainty for employees. They likely have many questions about the company’s decisions and the security of their jobs. An effective communication strategy to keep your employees informed and satisfied can help the reorganization progress smoothly. In this article, we list questions employees ask during a reorganization so you can prepare to answer them.

What is a company reorganization?

A company reorganization, also called a restructuring, is management’s decision to make a significant change in how the business operates. A reorganization can be a change in:

• Department or company structure and staff

• Target audience or customer

• Market, such as from national to international

• Physical stores to online

• Product or service offered

Startups often reorganize after growing and learning how they need to adapt their business model. Established companies might go through reorganizations to improve brand recognition or increase profits. Other reasons for a company reorganization might include:

• The company has grown bigger or smaller

• A key employee or leader leaves the company, requiring restructuring of positions

• Operational issues such as inefficiency, redundant jobs or unequal workloads

• The opportunity to enter a new market or create a new product or service

• The company’s customer base or audience has changed

When done properly, reorganizations can re-energize staff and improve business.

Questions employees might ask during a reorganization

Company reorganizations often lead to a restructuring of jobs, staff, and responsibilities. Employees want to know their jobs are secure and how their roles might change throughout the process. Addressing their concerns and keeping them well-informed can prevent surprises and allow them to embrace the change. Here are questions employees ask during a reorganization:

1. Why is this happening?

While company leadership might have been planning a reorganization for months or years, the change might seem sudden and surprising to employees. Some employees might view the change as a sign they are doing something wrong. As a manager, explain to your staff the external factors that have led to the reorganization. Reassure them it is not a reflection of employee performance. Rather, it is an opportunity to improve operations and profits, and both the company and its employees can benefit from the reorganization long-term.

2. Will I keep my job?

Often, an employee’s first concern about restructuring is if they still have a job within the new organization. They want reassurance of continued income so they can remain financially secure. Whether you expect the reorganization to include layoffs or restructuring of roles, be honest with your employees so they trust you throughout the process.

If you cannot promise an employee they still have employment with the company after reorganization, such as during a merger, tell them about their compensation options. These might include severance packages or career services.

3. How does this affect my job?

Some employees’ jobs might stay the same after a reorganization, while others change significantly. Clearly explain how you expect each employee’s role to develop so they can prepare themselves for it. Consider changes such as:

• Different job responsibilities

• New tools, skills, or technologies the employee needs to learn

• Moving to a new department

• Reporting to a new manager

• Producing or selling new products or services

• Moving to a different location, particularly if the company is trying to reach a new audience

Each employee reacts to major changes like these differently. Try to give them a clear vision of how their future role in the organization might look and how the company plans to achieve these changes.

4. How can I benefit from this?

While employees might understand how a reorganization can help increase a company’s revenue and productivity, they might wonder how it benefits them personally. Explain that the company’s success directly affects each employee’s success. The potential benefits of a reorganization include:

• Job security

• Job satisfaction

• Promotional opportunities

• Higher company morale

• Access to better tools and technologies

• Self-development

• Improved workflows and workloads

Emphasize the importance of working as a team to introduce these changes and, as a result, everyone can benefit.

5. What if I have concerns about reorganization?

Employees might not immediately recognize the long-term benefits of reorganization, or they might view it from a different perspective than management does. Make sure you clearly explain the business reasons for restructuring, so your employees understand why it is necessary. Then encourage them to share their opinions or concerns. You might be able to clarify certain details or provide reassurance.

An employee might also identify a challenge or an obstacle management had not considered when planning the reorganization. This could be an opportunity to address it and show your employees you value their opinions and welcome their feedback.

6. What are my options?

Employees want to feel like participating in the company’s reorganization is their choice. Give them the freedom to decide whether they want to continue working for the company under its new structure or mission while emphasizing how much the company values their contributions. Also, encourage your employees to be patient and reassess their feelings and options throughout different phases of the reorganization:

• Before implementing the changes

• Throughout the reorganization process

• After changes are complete

A decision they might have made when you first announced the reorganization might differ from the decision they make after the process is complete.

7. Do these changes happen immediately?

Employees typically learn about a reorganization immediately before it happens or when the early stages have already started. As a result, they might feel surprised, rushed, and stressed about the changes. Describe each step in the reorganization process so they understand how quickly it might progress. Explain why the company needs to change quickly to stay competitive in the market and minimize lost time and revenue. Avoid forcing employees to change, and allow them to adapt at their own speed.

8. Will my salary change?

If a reorganization requires an employee to perform new job responsibilities or learn new skills and processes, they might worry about doing more work for the same salary. Emphasize that the long-term goal of the reorganization is to create more balanced workloads and efficient processes and that everyone is experiencing a similar learning period. Also, highlight the potential for job growth and raises if the reorganization is successful.

Tips for managers during a reorganization

Here are a few tips to help ensure a smooth company reorganization, retain top employees, and keep your staff happy and motivated:

• Communicate: Frequent and clear communication with your department is key to reducing uncertainty and making sure employees have a common goal. Share both positive and negative information to build their trust and respect.

• Create a timeline: Help your employees understand and prepare for the stages of a reorganization by providing them with a timeline of milestones and major changes.

• Stay positive: Be optimistic and maintain a positive tone when talking about the company’s reorganization to try to keep employee morale as high as possible

• Be supportive: Show your employees you value them as individuals rather than workers. Encourage an open-door communication policy, and offer support in any way you can.

• Ask for feedback: While your employees likely were not involved in the decision to restructure, they can have significant roles in achieving the change. Ask for their input and opinions so they feel involved in the process.