How to Prove Your Worth During a Restructuring - The Muse

How to Prove Your Worth During a Restructuring - The MuseHow to Prove Your Worth During a Restructuring Dear HR Professional,My companys restructuring and things feel shaky. Top employees have been leaving and Im worried Ill eventually be phased out and jobless. How can I prove my value when things are so unstable and uncertain? Signed,Feeling WorriedDear Feeling Worried,Sorry to hear that youre feeling nervous about your current situation. Its hard to feel like your jobs at jeopardy when you did nothing wrong. If the restructuring welches not handled well and people dont understand the reasoning behind it, employees likely feel resentful toward the company and the leadership- which can result in top employees leaving.But even if it was handled with high sensitivity and transparency, restructuring creates an environment of uncertainty and anxiety as everyone figures out what comes next. So, its completely normal to feel worried- but its also important to figure out what you want to d o next quickly so that you can make moves that are in your best interest. If you think you do want to stay at the company, here are a few recommendations.1. Seek Out InformationBetween your manager, your managers boss, and your HR resource, one of them should be able to provide more detail about the purpose of the restructuring. Ask them as directly as possible if your jobs at risk. Also ask what you can do to increase your impact and value in the new structure. Then, put their ideas into action ASAP. 2. Remain PositiveManagement wants people who are enthusiastic about the mission and who believe in the success of the company- even when times are rough. So if youre prone to venting, do your best to keep it out of the office (and out of managements earshot). 3. Be FlexibleAll of those changes mean youre probably going to have to be flexible about your specific responsibilities, your reporting structure, and possibly even the team that you work with. Let it be known that youre a team player and are ready for the challenges and opportunities that the restructuring will bring.4. Secure Champions at the Leadership LevelThe truth is that youre going to need allegiances- not only for information, but also to ensure that at least one person in power knows your value and will speak up on your behalf. Make it a point to grab a few coffees with higher-ups, or speak up more in meetings (with good suggestions) when leadership is present, or simply share your recent achievements with your manager. If you follow these steps, you will come out ahead. Showing that you are dedicated to the company and willing to stick it out will lead to all kinds of new opportunities for you. So, keep your chin up- good things are headed your wayThis article is part of our Ask an Expert series- a column dedicated to helping you tackle your biggest career concerns. Our experts are excited to answer all of your burning questions, and you can submit one by emailing us at editor(at)themuse(dot)com and using Ask an Honest HR Professional in the subject line.Your letter may be published in an article on The Muse. All letters to Ask an Expert become the property of Daily Muse, Inc and will be edited for length, clarity, and grammatical correctness.