Many organizations struggle with redesign efforts, with less than 25% succeeding due to unclear roles and lack of employee engagement. Effective organizational design should align leadership, engage employees, and focus on strategy to create a positive work environment and improve performance. To achieve a successful redesign, it is essential to communicate early, involve employees in the process, and celebrate milestones.

1. REALIZE THE “WIN-WIN”
FROM YOUR ORG DESIGN
DRIVE BUSINESS STRATEGY, CREATE GREAT JOBS,
& DELIVER CUSTOMER VALUE

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60% of
organizations
have been
redesigned in
the past two
years
* https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/getting-
organizational-redesign-right

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And while everyone begins an organization
design with grand aspirations….
…more often than not, those
aspirations are not realized.
Why?

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Big expectations
of the redesign
Employees attend an
all hands meeting to
learn about the reorg
Leaders start
meeting privately
A Tale Gone
Wrong
Rumors
begin
Employee confusion
over lack of purpose
and role clarity
Leaders
frustrated when
unable to provide
clarity for teams
LOSE /
LOSE
Disengaged employee calls
in sick to re-write resume
Big expectations/
Business value not realized
Leadership
Experience
Employee
anxiety about
changing role –
“how will this
impact me?”
New org structure
goes into effectEmployee
Experience

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Sound
Familiar?
If so, don’t worry.
You’re not alone!
Less than 25% of org redesign
efforts succeed1
44% run out of steam after getting
under way1
1/3 fail to meet objectives or
improve performance after
implementation1
Only 50% of all workers strongly
indicate that they know what is
expected of them at work2
1 https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-
insights/getting-organizational-redesign-right
2 Gallup, Sept 2016

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Org design is (way) more than
re-arranging names in boxes
First, let’s
get clear…

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Secondly, don’t we really want
our new Org Design to DELIVER a
WIN / WIN??

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1. Enable your strategy
2. Reinforce your desired culture
3. Align leaders and empower managers
4. Engage employees and create great
jobs for your people
5. Improve productivity and drive clarity
about roles, processes, and decision-
making
That means the design
process should…
Let’s look at what happens
when you do this well!

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The Better Way
WIN / WIN
Desired outcomes,
benefits, and processes
are shared with
employees
Transition is
launched and
transparently led
by leaders
Leaders align on
outcomes and the
principles of the
design process
Employees and
managers engage in a
conversation about
roles and aspirations
Organization-
wide there is an
increased feeling
of purpose
Employees are readied for
new model and roles.
They feel prepared and
understand their job,
colleagues’ jobs, and how it
all works together!
Business
performance
increases driven by
greater collaboration
and agility in the
organization model
Employees take
accountability and
commit to the
broader team
Employees tweet
I LOVE MY JOB!

Design ideas are
tested; perspectives
are gathered

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Tips to Ensure the
Win-Win
WHAT: HOW:
Align your leaders
Agree on business value, desired outcomes, and your
design priorities – focus on strategy / not relationships
Engage employees
Involve your people: understand where to apply skills,
consider their aspirations, and test your ideas &
direction with them
Design the “whole”
solution
Define the roles, processes, decision rights, metrics
and governance that enable the “names in boxes”
Plan your transition
thoughtfully
Invest the time and effort for people to understand
their roles and how to operate in the new model
Keep ‘em looped in Communicate early and often
Celebrate the wins
Take time to pause at key milestones and recognize
achievements and progress

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1) Org Design should create a great employee experience that reinforces your culture and values.
2) Too often, org design efforts fall short of intended results by failing to understand “the work”,
clarify roles and responsibilities, and articulating business processes and practices. (Lose/Lose)
3) There is a better way! Org Design is way more than rearranging names in boxes. Leaders must be
aligned and all employees must be engaged long-term to truly achieve the Win/Win.
4) For long-term success:
 Align your leaders
 Engage employees
 Design the “whole” solution
 Plan your transition thoughtfully
 Keep ‘em looped in
 Celebrate the wins
5) Like what you’ve read? Share it! (see that little arrow in the left corner?)
Got it? Let’s review.
Your people will thank you.

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your people = your success.
© 2018 PeopleFirm LLC All Rights Reserved | www.peoplefirm.com
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measurable, outcomes, real results, and getting your people out of their seats
and engaged in your company’s growth.
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