“I am now left with double the amount of work and I was friends with the person that lost their job which makes it even harder”. This hard working mum of young kids echoed a sentiment that I have personally lived through.
No matter what level of the organisation you are at, restructures are never pretty. Unfortunately as the world comes to grips with Covid 19 and anticipates the tsunami of a recession careering towards us many of us may find ourselves in “survivor trauma” ie the ones that actually stay.
It’s not easy but please do not get walked all over in the process. I would hate for you to be taken advantage of. With these 3 questions you can help ensure you don’t become a victim in the restructure yourself
What are the expectations of me now?
It seems really obvious but many times it can feel like you are simply dumped someone else’s workload, there is likely to be little transition from the person departing and management are often too distracted to have a proper conversation of what is ahead.
But it is imperative that you understand:
- what actual responsibilities you have now assumed
- if you have licence to change the way they are done
- what your new targets and performance indicators are
- what is everyone else now doing (it’s amazing how often leaders forget to communicate what other roles have changed and how that will impact you)
What can you give me in return?
Now is actually the time to negotiate. It may not feel like it because you feel like you are meant to be grateful to have a job at all. However you have many years ahead in this job and now is time to assert your boundaries to make it workable for you and ensure you succeed.
Would you like to work from home more? Do you want to go back to full time? Is there training you think you need for new responsibilities?
Now is the opportunity to question the “what’s in it for me” and raise what you want openly.
How does this change my future?
The road ahead may have seemed clear before – the levels and roles ahead were mapped out. But the ground has shifted and the route you had planned may now be closed, requiring a detour.
Take some time to look beyond the very busy present and think about where you are going now. Have that conversation with your boss – be clear on what it will take to succeed and what the timing expectations are now. You deserve to know.
So do me and you a favour, just pause………breathe………..reflect……….and plot your moves.
Good luck and stay sane!