Remembering the Human Side of Organizational Change

In recent discussions about organizational efficiency and cost-cutting, something crucial gets lost in theatrical displays and provocative gestures: these are people's lives we're talking about. When leaders brandish chainsaws as symbols of workforce reductions, they diminish the dignity of countless individuals who wake up every morning, drop their kids at school, and go to work supporting their families.

A job isn't just a line item in a budget – it's a family's stability. It's mortgage payments on modest homes that took years to save for. It's car payments that enable parents to get their children to school and activities. It's the ability to put food on the table and keep the lights on. It's medical care for aging parents and children's educational opportunities.