Employees Can and Should Survive a Company Reorganization

“We do not live to think, but, on the contrary, we think in order that we may succeed in surviving.” - Jose Ortega y Gasset

It should not come as a big surprise that most employees hate change.

While in some cases change can be a good thing, oftentimes employees fear and realize the negative sides of change at the office, be it downsizing, less opportunities to grow at the company, fewer options for interaction with co-workers during the day etc.

If you find yourself in a current employment situation where things are changing and you don’t quite know how to handle them, take a few minutes to understand the reasoning behind the change, how it may impact you, and where to go from here.
Among the things to consider are:

How will this change impact my job and my job only? While you want to think of you and your co-workers as one big happy team, at the end of the day, nine out of 10 employees are looking out for themselves, especially with the economy the way it is. Once you find out what the proposed changes are, determine how they will impact your position and career as a whole so you have your bases covered. If the changes I extremely negative, i.e. a salary reduction or even loss of job, determine how you will deal with this;

How will I react to such changes? Whether the changes are good or bad, you are more than likely going to react. Especially in cases where the news is bad, how will you react? Whether it involves you or a co-worker, it is important to keep your emotions in check so that they don’t spill over and potentially burn bridges. While anger undoubtedly sets in with negative changes in the workplace, don’t let it get to the point where it overtakes you;

Will more be expected of me? In the event the company decides to downsize, how will you be impacted? With many company downsizings, more work is thrust upon the remaining employees, oftentimes to their chagrin. It is important to be a team player during a downsizing for two reasons. First, you could be in the next round of cuts, so don’t give the bosses any reasons to look your way in a negative manner. Secondly, stepping up to the plate can give the bosses a reason to look at you in a positive light down the road, a move that could definitely benefit you. Yes, many companies look to do more with less, how you handle that is important;

Keep priorities in mind – If your company is reorganizing and you either lose your job or more is expected from you, be sure to continue making your family a priority. Too often, the loss of a job or added pressures at work gets transferred in part to family members. Remember, they had nothing to do with the changes, so don’t direct your anger at them;

Don’t go off the deep end – When major changes take place in the workplace, some workers turn to some old or even new vices. The worst thing one can do is take up or increase their smoking and/or drinking habits. While the pressures are adding up, turning to a quick fix not only leads to health issues, but also more expenses and potential loss of job if alcohol or drugs are involved;

Have an outlet from your work – In cases where major changes take place at work, you need an outlet to get away from it all. Be sure if you are not already doing it to look to things like exercise, nights out with loved ones and friends, etc. to alleviate some of the stress. Given that your work routine can definitely impact your health, especially when it comes to stress, it is important to not let work get the better of you.

Dave Thomas, who covers items like business phone service writes extensively for Business.com, an online resource destination for businesses of all sizes to research, find, and compare the products and services they need to run their businesses.

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