Climbing the Ladder
Surviving a reorganization or major change within your company
In these challenging economic times, we all must be prepared for corporate reorganization or a major change within our company. Mergers or acquisitions occur, staffs are downsized or consolidated, and employees sometimes must work longer hours for the same salary. But is it OK to settle for “at least I still have a job?”
Chances are you will probably work in a company that undergoes reorganization several times (or more) during your career. These changes are extremely common as companies strive to grow and survive in the marketplace. They present new challenges and demands for everyone from top to bottom, and employees must learn to adapt.
How you cope with such a change can determine whether you benefit from the situation or wind up a casualty because of it.
Most people do not embrace change and it can be stressful for many employees. We prefer established routines to feel secure, stable and familiar with our responsibilities. The one thing we hate most is uncertainty—uncertainty about our jobs, our future, our status in the organization, the role we are expected to play and what other changes might be coming in the future.
Try to understand the reasons behind the change. It may seem like your employer is out of touch with its employees, but there are usually valid reasons for the changes, although they’re often difficult to see. Such changes usually come about because the board of directors, the shareholders and/or the company's CEO believe the company needs to deal with fundamental, serious problems. This is often predicted by poor financial performance, but not always. Other reasons include the fear of being too small, too big, too diversified or too reliant on a single product or industry. Not having a strong presence online, growing too quickly or too slowly, even having a negative or outdated image can cause leadership to take action.
It’s best to determine the cause for the change and see if there is a way to further your career by initiating ideas that coincide with the company's updated goals. Change is, and always has been, an inevitable part of life. In today's business climate, however, the pace of change has increased. Instead of fearing change, resisting it or hoping it won't ever happen to you, it's much better to prepare yourself for the inevitable changes that are likely to occur. Start today by imagining how you could cope with sudden, massive change. Think about likely scenarios and then brainstorm, on your own or with others, about how you might best respond. Then, if change happens, you won't be caught off guard—you'll already be ready. If the changes never come, you'll still be better off. Having prepared yourself in advance will enable you to feel much more confident and secure in your normal day-to-day activities.
Once you've survived and successfully adjusted to a major organizational change, avoid the trap of becoming complacent. Future changes will probably occur, and you should be prepared for them—emotionally, physically and also financially. Keep developing your skills and enhancing your value to the company. Learn to do as many jobs as you can, and always let your superiors know you are ready and willing to help out whenever the need arises.
Has your company undergone a major change? How were you affected?
Information from http://www.stresscure.com/jobstress/reorg.html