A potential restructuring/ redundancy situation is a forced and more often than not an unplanned change. As a result of this a number of concerns can arise…

1. Economic insecurity – need to pay the mortgage and bills etc. Financial commitments to be met. 

2. Fear of unknown – entering unknown territory, what will it be like? How will it differ to what you have now?

3. Threat to social relationships – dismantling current working relationships and social networks.  People take comfort in established peer groups.

4. Habit - we have always done it this way and we want to continue doing it like this because we know it and understand it. We are competent at the job.

5. Panic and powerlessness – ‘they’ are turning our world upside down, ‘they’ are making decisions about our future… our jobs…. we have no input / control etc.

These thoughts lead to a pattern of reactions. Research into change management and the reactions of people to change situations indicates we all tend to go through a similar pattern and this is completely normal. Some people with go through these stages quickly, for others the saying “time is a great healer” is very true.

 Time to reflect:

What happens to you when “change” happens? Perhaps you are restructuring at the moment? What happens to people around you when change happens? Let me know