Supporting Employee Wellbeing During Restructures
Restructures are a fact of organisational life. Sometimes they’re planned, sometimes reactive. Sometimes they offer exciting change, sometimes they bring difficult decisions. However they show up, one thing is consistent…they have a human impact.
While leadership focuses on logistics, strategy and timelines, employees are left grappling with uncertainty, change fatigue and fear. Their well-being can take a serious hit, and if it’s not acknowledged or supported, it affects more than just morale. It impacts performance, trust, engagement and retention.
So, how can organisations lead change with care? How do you protect your people’s well-being while managing the unknown? Here’s what I’ve seen work.
1. Be Honest and Human in Your Communication
In a restructure, people want straight answers. They want to know what’s changing, why, and how it might affect them. But what they often get is vague messaging, hidden behind corporate language or delayed until it’s “safe” to share.
This fuels anxiety.
What works:
Clear, timely and compassionate communication. Speak like a human, not a press release. If there’s uncertainty, say so. If timelines may shift, be transparent. Your employees don’t expect perfection, but they do expect honesty. And the more you can invite dialogue, Q&As, 1-1s, team check-ins, the more supported people will feel.
2. Recognise the Emotional Impact
Change doesn’t just impact job descriptions or reporting lines. It hits people emotionally. There’s grief, anxiety, frustration, and confusion, and often all at once.
Ignoring these feelings or pushing through with a “business as usual” mindset sends the message that wellbeing isn’t a priority.
What works:
Create space for people to process. That might be through facilitated group conversations, coaching, or simply giving managers the tools to ask, “How are you doing, really?” Acknowledging that restructures are hard goes a long way in building psychological safety.
3. Equip Your Managers to Lead with Care
During a restructure, managers are the glue. They’re the ones people turn to for clarity, reassurance and leadership. But often, they’re just as impacted and uncertain as their teams, and rarely given the support they need to manage these conversations well.
What works:
Train and support your managers. Help them understand the emotional cycle of change, how to hold challenging conversations and how to spot signs of distress. Give them the language, confidence and backing to lead with empathy. When managers feel supported, they’re far more able to support others.
4. Reinforce Stability Where You Can
When one area of life feels uncertain, people look for steadiness elsewhere. Small anchors, consistent routines, clear expectations, and regular team rhythms, can bring a sense of normality during unpredictable times.
What works:
Keep what you can consistent. Protect team rituals. Honour 1-1s. Avoid changing too many things at once. If the structure is shifting, make sure people know what stays the same. A little stability gives people something solid to stand on.
5. Offer Meaningful Wellbeing Support
When stress levels rise, so does the need for support, but it needs to be more than lip service. Simply pointing people to an intranet page or EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) won’t cut it.
What works:
Make wellbeing visible, practical and accessible. That could mean group wellbeing sessions, signposting mental health support, offering coaching, encouraging time away from screens, or checking in on workloads. And crucially, make sure leaders model this too. If taking care of yourself is seen as “optional,” few will prioritise it.
6. Keep Purpose Front and Centre
In times of uncertainty, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. People begin to question, “What’s the point?” or “Do I still belong here?”
What works:
Help your team reconnect with purpose. Why does their work matter? How are they contributing to the future of the organisation? Even when roles shift, a sense of meaning can provide a powerful anchor for wellbeing.
Final Thoughts
Restructures will always be complex, but they don’t have to be cold or clinical. Supporting employee wellbeing isn’t just about being kind (though kindness matters); it’s a strategic decision. Because people who feel seen, heard and supported are far more likely to stick with you through change, contribute their best, and help shape what comes next.
If you’re managing a restructure now, ask yourself:
Are we thinking enough about the human experience?
Are we supporting our people as well as we’re supporting the process?
The answers to those questions will define more than just the success of the restructure; they’ll define the culture you’re building for the future.