Allison McMillan / Tavlin Consulting

When a reorg hits, individual contributors often feel lost because the high-level announcement skips the details they need to keep working. The core insight is that leaders must repeat the "why" in a way that reaches every layer, adding nuance when trust is low or there are many management hops. By reinforcing the rationale directly with the team, you prevent speculation and give people a concrete frame for the change.

People need crystal-clear answers about how their day-to-day will shift: will their tasks, teammates, expectations, or mission change? If any of these are unknown, the leader should admit the gap and give a timeline for answers. This reduces the mental overhead of filling in blanks and keeps focus on delivery rather than rumor-mongering.

Finally, treating the transition with a bit of levity-like a themed playlist or light-hearted Slack questions-helps combat reorg fatigue while still acknowledging the disruption. The goal isn't to make the change trivial, but to give the team a small, positive anchor that eases the productivity dip and protects morale during the adjustment period.