So you’re headed for a reorg — here’s what tech employees and managers should know
Reorganizations are meant to improve efficiencies, but can introduce substantial disruption to people and teams.
You’re feeling good about an upcoming project, a breakthrough with your boss, or your team finally getting into a flow. Then you get the email, or you’re called in for an “all hands” — they’re announcing a “reorg.”
You feel confusion, or panic, or a mix of both. Am I going to lose my job? Is my team going to be dissolved? Who will I report to? Or, you might feel excited, ready for a fresh start. Reorgs can be done well, or they can become another major thing that’s Not Working in Tech. All you can control is your own positioning, response, and state of mind through the process.
Here’s what you should know if your company is restructuring, and what I’ve learned along the way as a former manager and employee both leading and surviving multiple reorgs in tech.
What is a “reorg”, or reorganization?
A reorg is when an organization’s leaders, usually Vice President or above, decide that they need to reorganize the entire group of people reporting to them. It can be done as a way to enforce hierarchy, double down on efficiency, or as an outflow from leadership taking on a new pillar, campaign, or initiative.
For example, a VP might say we’re now going to be responsible for this new pillar, product or metric, but we’re not providing any additional staffing or funding. Leaders might communicate that growth has pushed them to reorganize, or that their boss is telling them to increase output with the same number of people.
While it doesn’t typically involve mass layoffs, it may result in you moving to a new team with a new manager, or becoming part of a hierarchy that’s new to you. You may even be expected to take on new job functions or responsibilities entirely.
For some, it can be a fresh start; something invigorating. For others, it could mean a steep learning curve, or re-establishing yourself with a new boss, team, and set of responsibilities — which can be hard. Reorgs can be positive, neutral, or negative, and the same reorg could even be all three of those things for different people. For some, especially those in leadership who are drawn closer to the upper echelons of the hierarchy, it can mean career advancement and progress. For others, it can be a major struggle.
What commonly triggers a reorg?
Reorgs can happen at any time, sometimes multiple times per year, depending on the company. In recent months, tech executives have been more vocal about the role of AI in restructuring plans — over half of tech firms have reported they are strongly considering reorgs due to AI, in fact.
Though some leaders say that reorging more than once every 12-24 months is more disruptive than helpful, it happens anyway. More than twice a year can be extraordinarily disruptive, but in my experience, it happens.
Some of the most common triggers for a reorg are:
New VP or senior leader onboarding
Public relations (PR) crisis
Major security breach
As well as any other events where leadership, especially a C-suite executive, needs to be able to show shareholders that they’re “doing something about this,” whatever “this” may be.
Reorgs are a part of what’s “Not Working in Tech”
Reorgs almost always shake up your management structure — and these are relationships that can take years of effort and connection to build. When this happens abruptly, it can be incredibly upsetting on a personal and professional level. On the flipside, it can offer the chance for a fresh start with a new manager.
For marginalized or historically underrepresented groups and other vulnerable populations in tech, reorgs can be especially harmful and disruptive.
BIPOC/people from historically excluded backgrounds, parents, folks who are neurodivergent or disabled -- really anyone who’s put in extra work with their manager to build a strong relationship, specifically design a work portfolio that suits them and their personal boundaries or lifestyle constraints, caregiving responsibilities… that stuff all gets shaken up and basically thrown out the window.
How to prep for an upcoming reorg as an employee in tech
If a reorg is in your near future, or you aren’t sure and want to be prepared regardless, there are concrete steps you can take as an employee in tech to position yourself well.
Robust documentation of impact
Can you clearly communicate your impact, and do you have evidence, summaries, and details of the significance your work has on the company’s objectives? If not, start now. On the engineering side, you’re expected to show progress on your projects/team goals, skills growth, and leadership over the past months, quarters or years. Most organizations have a regular cadence of review and roadmapping — you should take an active role in these, even leading some, regardless of whether you personally feel bought-in to the goals. For those with accommodations, document those conversations with your manager(s), document the relevant accommodations you receive, and provide evidence that you are more effective with them. If need be, work with HR/employee success teams to ensure they continue if management changes.
Managing up
If you have positioned yourself as indispensable to your current manager or team, getting a new manager in a reorg may be scary. It’s hard to know whether you’ll get along, whether they’ll “see” you, or whether you’ll be able to thrive with a new set of coworkers, responsibilities and expectations. To “future-proof” yourself, take control of the narrative. Be able to illustrate how you and your work impact your team’s goals and metrics. Make sure you’ve documented your contributions in all the places where your company tracks performance or progress. It can help to ask for your existing or previous manager’s input on those things. Get ahead of the curve by setting up meetings with your new manager, skip level, and/or peers. Ask them for recommendations on who they think you should be building relationships with.
Managing up is one of the most important tasks for individual contributors in big tech jobs. Managers and leaders who are amazingly good at managing up shoot up the career ladder -- whether or not the people below them think they’re a good manager themselves (and that alone is a topic for an entirely separate post!). Demonstrating your value to your team and the broader company is highly rewarded in the industry.
Build your network beyond your current organization
Not all your peers and mentors should be inside your company. Having a diverse network outside your coworkers means that during an upcoming reorg or performance season, you have people you trust to listen and give you advice on how to demonstrate your value, how to build better relationships, and how to meet ever-increasing expectations. Another set of eyes to examine a tricky situation can give you perspective you won’t get inside your own organization.
There’s so much value and strength in having a broader network of people you admire and trust. Maybe it’s people from a previous job who you stay in touch with as they grow and move on, or people from your university. Peers or mentors in leadership roles can really be a significant help for you.
Partnering with a tech career consultant or mentor
Sometimes you need more than a peer to brainstorm with, and a professional career coach’s consulting who knows the industry more extensively can be invaluable. Consultants can work with you on how to better position yourself to survive or even flourish in the midst of a reorg, what red flags to look out for, and when taking leave might be your best next move.
When a reorg is the first sign that you are headed for a layoff
Not everyone keeps their job in a reorg, and there are some clear signs that your position might be on the chopping block as a reorg approaches. The biggest indicator is a performance review and rating. If you’ve had a recent review and are just ‘meeting expectations’ or not even there; if you get your full bonus, or they’ve shared a number of ‘growth opportunities,’ those are strong signals. You may already be on a “short list” of folks that your new manager or VP is looking to cut. Those are great times to take leave and start looking for a new job, or take leave to consider your options.
Remind yourself that you are not your job
The best antidote to a difficult reorg? A life outside of work, and connection to what makes you human. Build a robust world full of hobbies, relationships, and self-care practices outside work, and you’ll feel a bit more bulletproof if a reorg comes your way. Remind yourself that your life is richer than simply your career: My career is not my measure of my worth as a human. Build a flourishing, resilient life where your career is only one facet of the whole.
