Supporting employees during restructuring means reducing the uncertainty that change creates. In practice, that means communicating often and honestly, keeping people connected, offering confidential psychological support, clarifying roles early and recognising effort along the way. Together, these steps protect wellbeing and trust while the organisation changes around people.
Restructuring rarely changes only an org chart. It changes who people report to, what their days look like and, for some, whether they will have a job at all. Even employees whose roles stay the same can spend weeks unsure of where they stand. The steps below are aimed at HR teams and people leaders who want to handle that period with care, and without pretending the uncertainty isn’t there.
Why restructuring affects employee mental health
Uncertainty is one of the most consistent sources of work-related stress. When people don’t know what is coming, they tend to fill the gaps themselves, and usually with the worst case. In the American Psychological Association’s 2017 Work and Well-being Survey, employees who were going through, or had recently gone through, organisational change were more than twice as likely to report chronic work stress as those who weren’t. They were also less likely to trust their employer.
That combination matters. Stress affects concentration, sleep and decision-making, and low trust makes every later announcement harder to land. Over a long restructure, the risk is not only individual distress but also burnout across teams that are already stretched.
1. Communicate clearly, consistently and openly
Set a regular rhythm for updates and keep to it, even in weeks with little news. A short weekly meeting with time for questions, followed by a written summary, helps people trust that they aren’t missing anything. An anonymous question channel helps too, because the questions people are most worried about are often the ones they won’t ask in front of colleagues.
Being honest about what is still undecided usually lands better than waiting until everything is final. John Kotter’s work on organisational change (Leading Change, 1996) makes a similar point: people support change they understand, and silence tends to be read as bad news.
What this looks like in practice
- A fixed weekly update slot, with the date and time announced in advance
- An anonymous way to submit questions, with answers shared with everyone
- A written summary after each update for people who couldn’t attend
- A clear statement of what is decided, what isn’t, and when the next decision is expected
2. Keep teams connected and encourage peer support
During restructuring, people often pull back from colleagues. Teams may be split up or reorganised, and some people worry about being seen as “on the wrong side” of the change. Yet peer support is one of the things that helps people cope with uncertainty, and a sense of belonging matters most when it feels least secure.
This doesn’t need to be elaborate. Informal check-ins, a regular team coffee (online or in person) and time for shared problem-solving give people a space to talk that isn’t just about the restructure. Managers can help by joining in rather than only running the agenda.
3. Offer confidential psychological support
Some employees will need more than a well-run update meeting. Change can bring up anxiety, low mood, conflict at home or older difficulties, and people often don’t want to discuss these with their manager or HR. Confidential, professional support gives them somewhere else to go.
The World Health Organization’s Guidelines on mental health at work (2022) recommend combining organisational measures with training for managers, so they can recognise when someone is struggling and respond appropriately. In practice, that might mean:
- Access to confidential 1:1 sessions with qualified therapists or psychologists, for example through an employee assistance programme
- Stress-management or resilience workshops for teams going through the change
- A short briefing for managers on how to have supportive conversations and where to refer people
4. Clarify roles and development opportunities early
Role ambiguity is a common source of stress during restructuring. People cope better when they know what is expected of them, even if the news isn’t what they hoped for. One-to-one conversations about how a role is changing, what stays the same and what support is available are worth scheduling early, rather than leaving them until the new structure is in place.
Self-determination theory, developed by psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, describes autonomy, competence and relatedness as basic psychological needs that support motivation. Restructuring can threaten all three. Giving people a say where possible, and access to training for new responsibilities, helps restore some of them. If someone is unsure where their work and career is heading, that conversation is worth having openly.
5. Recognise effort and progress
Restructuring is tiring, and the extra work people put in to keep things running is easy to overlook. Acknowledging that effort, publicly where appropriate and personally where it matters, signals that people are seen and not just reorganised.
Recognition doesn’t need a budget. A specific thank-you from a manager, a mention in a team update, or marking the end of a difficult phase together can make a noticeable difference to morale.
What an employee assistance programme adds during restructuring
An employee assistance programme (EAP) or workplace mental health benefit gives employees access to professional support outside the management line. During restructuring, a few things make it especially useful:
- Confidentiality. Employees can talk about their worries without them reaching their manager or HR.
- Speed. Stress during a restructure builds quickly. Support that starts within days is more useful than support that starts after a long waiting list.
- Language and culture. In international teams, people often find it easier to talk about difficult things in their first language, with someone who understands their cultural context.
- Support for managers too. Managers delivering difficult news are under pressure of their own and are often overlooked.
- Support for people who are leaving. Offering sessions as part of the exit process is a practical way to show care, and is noticed by those who stay.
A short restructuring checklist for HR and people leaders
Before the announcement
- Plan the communication rhythm and who delivers each message
- Brief managers on what they can and can’t say, and how to refer people to support
- Check that confidential mental health support is in place and easy to access
On the day
- Share what is decided, what isn’t, and when the next update will come
- Tell people, in the same message, where they can get confidential support
- Make time for questions, including anonymous ones
In the weeks after
- Keep the update rhythm, even when there is little to report
- Hold one-to-ones on changing roles and development
- Recognise effort, and check in on teams and managers who are carrying the most
If you’re reviewing your wider wellbeing offer, you might also find this useful: why some corporate mental health initiatives fall short.
Restructures are hard on everyone. If your organisation is going through one, It’s Complicated can support your team with confidential 1:1 counselling sessions in 40+ languages, online or in person. Explore our mental health support for companies.
References
- American Psychological Association (2017). Work and Well-being Survey: Change at work linked to employee stress, distrust and intent to quit. apa.org
- Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior. Plenum.
- Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Harvard Business School Press.
- World Health Organization (2022). Guidelines on mental health at work. who.int
About the author
Zsofia Nyul is a psychological counsellor (MA Clinical and Health Psychology, GMBPsS) based in Barcelona, working online and in person in English and Hungarian. She supports international clients with anxiety, burnout, relationships and life transitions, using an integrative approach that draws on CBT, emotionally focused and psychodynamic therapy. Find Zsofia Nyul on It’s Complicated
