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Shalini always aspired to be a manager in the corporate world. She admired the influence and respect that great leaders commanded, and she worked tirelessly to achieve that goal. After years of dedication, she finally made it—12 people reporting to her, a private cabin, and a LinkedIn update celebrating her success. It was a moment of pride, recognition, and validation of her ten-year journey in the company.
But her happiness was short-lived.
A leadership change at the top brought a new vision—one that valued flat hierarchies over traditional management roles. As a result, Shalini’s position was eliminated. She was given two options: return to an individual contributor role or find opportunities elsewhere. The very achievement she worked so hard for disappeared overnight.
Does this story sound familiar? Have you, or someone you know, faced a similar situation?
The Reality of Frequent Leadership Changes
In large multinational corporations, leadership transitions are happening more frequently than ever. With each new executive comes a fresh perspective, a different strategy, and often, a restructuring initiative. The intent might be to remove redundancy, streamline operations, or improve efficiency, but the impact on employees is profound.
Consider this: A company spent years embedding Agile ways of working under one leadership. Then, a new executive arrives with a different belief—results matter more than methodology. Almost overnight, seven to eight years of effort implementing Agile practices are discarded with a single executive order.
While business strategies must evolve, constant restructuring has real consequences. Employees, who are the backbone of execution, struggle to adapt to rapid and repeated changes. Motivation dips, engagement weakens, and productivity suffers.
The Human Cost of Organizational Restructuring
Let’s go back to Shalini. What happens to her motivation and aspirations after this sudden shift? Frequent changes create uncertainty, and uncertainty breeds disengagement. Employees who take time to adjust to a new organizational structure often feel lost when it changes again within months.
Imagine if your reporting manager, the person who evaluates your performance and mentors your growth, changed every six months. How secure would you feel in your career? How confident would you be in your long-term growth within the company?
A Call for Thoughtful Leadership
Leaders must recognize that even small structural changes impact employees in significant ways. Knowledge workers—the individuals driving innovation, execution, and delivery—need stability to thrive. If leadership sees disengaged employees, missed targets, or declining morale, they must ask:
Is the problem the employees, or is it the constant change?
Change is necessary, but stability is equally important. Thoughtful leadership means balancing transformation with continuity, ensuring that employees feel supported rather than uprooted. Because, at the end of the day, no strategy succeeds without the people who bring it to life.
What’s your take? Have you experienced the impact of frequent restructuring?
I help leaders and teams navigate transformation with clarity and confidence. Let’s connect—feel free to reach out to me at hirendoshi@practiceagile.com.