The situation
Fast growth had left the business with unclear roles, overlapping responsibilities and friction over who owned what. The owner wanted to reshape the team and reporting lines to fit where the business now was, without losing anyone.
Why it was difficult
Changing people's roles, duties or reporting lines is not risk-free. Done clumsily, it can breach contracts or hand someone a constructive dismissal claim, even when the intention is entirely positive.
What Samantha did
- Mapped the roles the business actually needed against what people were currently doing
- Consulted individually with each affected person, openly and fairly
- Agreed the changes properly rather than imposing them, and put them in writing
- Documented the process to protect the business
What it could have cost
Changing duties and reporting lines can breach a contract without anyone intending it. That is a constructive dismissal claim from a restructure meant to keep everybody.
The outcome
The team was restructured cleanly around the roles the business needed. Responsibilities were clear, the friction eased, no one was made redundant, and no claims followed.
Restructured. No redundancies, no claims.
What this means for you
You can reshape a team without cutting it. The difference between a smooth restructure and a costly one is almost always the process and the consultation.
Related support
Restructure support →Anonymised. Sector, names and identifying details have been removed or changed. Outcomes reflect the specific circumstances of each case and are not a guarantee of any particular result.