4 Signs It’s Time For an Organisational Review

An organisational review enables you to be intentional and deliberate in how you set up your staff and organisation for success. However, making the decision to pursue a review and the changes it might entail can be a daunting proposition, especially when you are already under pressure.

If any of the 4 signs below sound familiar, it may be time for you to undertake an organisational review.

 

1. Your team is much bigger than it used to be

While efforts and energy are often focused on the day-today, significant growth or change within an organisation can often unfold organically over the space of a few months or years. It can also happen very suddenly in reaction to a new opportunity. Negative side effects can include lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities, unclear reporting lines, or too many direct reports to your CEO, or managers.

An organisational review allows you to reflect on this growth, identify challenges and bottlenecks, and take the necessary steps to move towards a stronger structure that is sustainable and scalable for future growth.

 

2. Things don’t work as smoothly as they used to

Another side effect of growth and change is that the way you use to collaborate and communicate with your colleagues, or manage your team, is no longer fit for purpose.

Organisational design is about more than just structure; it’s also about workflows and relationships. If the way you used to operate is no longer leading to the same results – or if it feels slower and more painful to do your work – it might be time to take a step back and consider if your structure and working relationships are aligned with your organisation’s strategy today.

 

3. Your team’s work is constantly behind schedule

Another way in which an organisational review can support you is by identifying where you are missing capacity and capability in the team. If your workloads have grown at a faster pace than your staff team, its only natural to then experience delays, frustration and stress.

Assuming that you have correctly identified your priorities in a strategic plan, an organisational review is the ideal opportunity to think about how you are going to deliver your work:

What capacity do you need in what areas?

What skillsets do you need?

How should each team be structured?

How will they work together and with others?

 

4. You are overspending on agency staff or consultants

Agency staff and consultants are a sticking plaster to the issues identified above. If you have more work than the people to deliver it – and don’t have the time to take a minute, assess and plan for the long-term – these expensive short-term solutions can feel like your best option. However, it’s not sustainable in the long-term.

An organisational review can be an investment that pays dividends in the medium and long-term both financially and for your team’s wellbeing and happiness at work.

 

External consultants can be valuable in an organisational review process by creating an objective and confidential environment in which everyone in your organisation feels comfortable to share their honest feedback about what is and isn’t working.

This will ensure that the final recommendations reflect the concerns and expectations of staff, and build buy-in for implementation of your new structure. We can also bring in our experience and learnings from comparable organisations.

 

Interested in finding out more?

Our team at 2into3 our experience in delivering effective organisational reviews that transform organisations for the better.

If you would like to find out more about our approach, visit our webpage here, or contact our Director of Advisory Services, Sheena Horgan at sheena.horgan@2into3.com.