We partnered with a major utility as it prepared to realign part of its organisational structure.

The change was intended to create a more connected, efficient, and collaborative organisation. But structural change is rarely just about lines on a chart. For the people affected, it can raise questions about identity, roles, reporting lines, relationships, decision-making, and how work will get done.

The organisation needed to make the shift without losing the connection and trust that already existed across teams. Leaders recognised that the success of the realignment would depend not only on the design of the new structure, but on how people were brought through the transition.

There were practical challenges to manage. Different teams would be affected in different ways, and people needed timely, consistent, and meaningful information about what was changing and why. Leaders also needed support to have conversations with their teams, respond to questions, and help people make sense of the change as it unfolded.

The challenge was to support the organisation through a significant transition while maintaining engagement, reducing uncertainty, and helping people stay connected to each other and to the broader purpose of the change.

We designed and delivered a change management approach that focused on both the organisational transition and the human experience of change.

The work began with understanding the change in context. We worked with leaders and internal project teams to clarify the purpose of the realignment, the intended benefits, the stakeholder impacts, and the areas where people were likely to need the most support.

From there, we developed a practical change approach that helped the organisation communicate clearly, engage meaningfully, and respond to emerging needs throughout the transition.

Our work included:

• Clarifying the change story so leaders could explain why the realignment was needed, what it was intended to achieve, and how it connected to the organisation’s broader direction.
• Understanding stakeholder impacts by identifying the groups most affected by the change and the questions, concerns, and support needs likely to arise.
• Assessing change readiness to understand how prepared different parts of the organisation were for the transition and where additional attention may be needed.
• Supporting leader communication so leaders had the information, messages, and confidence needed to guide their teams through the change.
• Designing engagement activities that gave employees opportunities to hear about the change, ask questions, provide feedback, and understand what the realignment meant for them.
• Monitoring emerging issues so the change approach could respond to concerns and adapt as the transition progressed.
• Creating practical change tools to support consistent communication, stakeholder engagement, and implementation planning.

Rather than treating the restructure as a technical exercise, the approach focused on helping people understand, process, and participate in the change. This meant balancing the organisation’s need for alignment and efficiency with employees’ need for clarity, connection, and support.

THE RESULTS

The project helped the organisation navigate a significant structural transition while maintaining focus on its day-to-day operations.

Throughout the realignment process, leaders and employees had structured opportunities to engage with the change, ask questions, and contribute feedback. This helped the organisation understand emerging concerns, adapt its approach where needed, and support people through the transition.

As new groups and teams came together, the change process created opportunities to establish shared goals, clarify ways of working, and strengthen connection across organisational boundaries. Rather than focusing only on the new structure, the project also considered the human experience of the transition and the conditions needed to support people through it.

The organisation now has a realigned structure supported by change management foundations, stakeholder engagement mechanisms, and a clearer understanding of change readiness across the workforce.

By balancing organisational objectives with employee experience, the project helped create a foundation for stronger collaboration and more connected ways of working across the business.