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• Before deciding to change an organization’s structure, leaders must define the issue: What exactly is the organizational challenge at hand? Ideally, there should be a consensus among leadership about challenges and needs.
• Once leaders understand the challenge, the next step is to determine the best way to address it. A reorganization may be a solution, but more effective and less disruptive options may be available. Streamlining work processes, engaging stakeholders to identify needed changes, or clarifying roles and responsibilities may be better solutions than a formal change to the organization.
• Reducing costs may be a motivation for reorganizing an organization, but leaders should think carefully about whether and when costs will decrease. It is not always necessary to complete a complex fiscal analysis. Leadership can make educated guesses about how much time will be lost due to a reorganization and factor those losses of productivity into rough calculations of benefits and costs of a potential reorganization.
• Engage key constituents and request ongoing feedback.
• Review market and/or industry changes to determine the best course of action.
• Understand the challenges and benefits of reorganization.
• Review, assess, and evaluate the alignment with university strategic initiatives.
• When reorganization is the right solution to an organizational challenge, leadership and managers must be prepared to invest time and resources to make the transition successful.

We operate in a complex employment, statutory, regulatory, and procedural environment. It is critical that you involve the division of People, Culture and Belonging (PCB) when you are planning changes to your organizational structure. Note that a large reorganization resulting in the elimination of positions can require a minimum of 6 months, and smaller reorganizations may require a minimum of 4 months. Please allow ample time before the effective date of the change to ensure sufficient time to process the change.

Acknowledge and understand the fundamental human aspect of the reorganization. It is crucial to appreciate how these experiences will impact individuals emotionally, socially, and financially. Therefore, it is important that leadership foster empathy and navigate the complexities of the situation with sensitivity and awareness.

PCB serves as a general resource and based on your specific needs, will guide you through the different steps that need to be taken.

PCB consults and collaborates with department heads and other designee to develop job descriptions, titles, salary recommendations, posting requirements and communication strategies.

PCB consults and collaborates and assists with all processes that involve the elimination of a position. Will advise on how to communicate the changes to existing employees.

PCB implements changes to HR processes and systems because of a reorganization.

PCB provides various services and tools for employees leaving the university as well as those who remain employed.

PCB is ready to assist you through this process. Once you have determined that a reorganization is going to occur and you understand the scope of it (i.e., renaming a unit with no other changes, creating a new unit, etc.) please contact Betsy McCafferty (emccaff6@kent.edu) and/or Donna Sansonetti (dsansone@kent.edu) for guidance through the process and to ensure you understand the steps that you will need to take to make this change a success.

The steps below are comprehensive, however, depending on what is changing, not every step or element is relevant. Also, keep in mind that these steps don’t necessarily need to occur sequentially. Some can be done at the same time.

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