Right-Sizing: How to Thrive in a Changing Environment
Hello to our ingagehr community,
We hope you’re enjoying all the sunshine this summer, a beach day, a relaxed staycation weekend, or just a moment to soak in the warmth with your morning coffee. That said, we know for business owners and leaders, it’s hard to fully “switch off”, even on vacation.
Right now, we know many of you are taking a sober look at your workforce; rethinking roles in light of AI, scaling back due to slower sales, or navigating general unease about the economy. We’re hearing from many clients who are feeling the pressure to downsize. But before making reactive changes, we’re encouraging a more strategic conversation because right-sizing isn’t the same as downsizing.
Over the past few years, businesses like yours have invested heavily in attracting top talent often paying premium salaries during the post COVID, “War for Talent.” Since then, you’ve nurtured, developed, and integrated these new team members into your operations. The result? Many of these employees are now driving stronger performance, innovation, and overall productivity across your organization.
As we navigate this next chapter, the goal shouldn’t be to undo that progress. Now, as economic uncertainty grows, it’s tempting to scale back; but we believe there is a smarter path than layoff first, regret to follow.
Let’s Talk Right-Sizing.
Downsizing is a reaction; Right-Sizing is a strategy. It’s about aligning your people and structure with your current business realities while protecting what you’ve already built. It’s about getting laser-focused on what (and who) drives value and creating the flexibility you need to move forward with confidence. When done carefully, it is an opportunity. It’s a chance to get clear on your priorities, double down on what’s working, and realign your team in a way that sets you up for long-term success
Here’s Some Steps to Approach Right Sizing Your Organization:
Assess Roles & Responsibilities - Before making any structural changes, look at your current team. Are your people doing work that actually aligns with your current targets? Are there overlaps, gaps, or outdated responsibilities that no longer serve your goals?
Key Steps:
Time mapping – Identify where time is spent and spot misalignment with role purpose.
Automation scan – Flag repetitive or manual tasks that could be automated.
Streamline structure – Eliminate role overlap and clarify core responsibilities.
Boost value-added work – Refocus efforts on strategic, revenue-driving tasks.
Clarify Your CURRENT Business Priorities - The economy is shifting. Are you clear on which areas of your business need to grow, and which ones can pause or scale back? Right-sizing starts with strategic clarity. Define critical growth areas and identify which business functions are essential to advancing your current strategy.
Key Steps:
Press pause, intentionally – Identify areas that can scale back or wait.
Refocus your team – Align roles with today’s strategy, not yesterday’s plan.
Let go of “do it all” – Make space by choosing what not to pursue.
Structure for What’s Next (Not What Was) - Many organizational charts are built on legacy; people promoted as a recognition for loyalty or tenure, roles evolved, and suddenly your structure doesn’t quite match your strategy. Right-sizing gives you a chance to redesign - not just reduce.
Key Steps:
Review your org chart for roles that no longer align with strategy.
Reevaluate responsibilities to reflect today’s business needs.
Clarify decision-making to eliminate overlap or ambiguity.
Rebuild intentionally so structure supports future growth.
Transparent Communication is Paramount - Whether reducing, reshaping, or adding responsibilities, wherever possible, collaborate with your team and communicate early and often. Transparency builds trust and often uncovers valuable ideas. When people understand what’s at stake, they’re more likely to work with you - not fear the change.
Key Steps:
Engage employees early to reduce fear and resistance.
Communicate the why behind any role or structure changes.
Listen for insight—employees often spot opportunities leadership can’t.
Build trust by being honest about what’s changing and what’s not.
Develop a Staged Plan- Right-sizing doesn’t have to happen all at once. Taking a staged approach allows you to test changes measure impact, and adjust before making permanent moves. This approach reduces disruption, gives employees time to adapt, and helps you make informed, data-driven decisions rather than reactive cuts.
Key Steps:
Test changes in phases to reduce risk and disruption.
Measure impact before making permanent decisions.
Give employees time to adapt and contribute feedback.
Base adjustments on data, not assumptions or urgency.
Let’s Talk About What Right-Sizing Could Look Like for You
If you’re thinking about how to better align your team with the work ahead, we’d be happy to walk through it with you. Book a free 30-minute discovery call to explore what right-sizing might mean for your business no pressure, just a good conversation.
