Integrating Teams after Downsizing: A Short Case Study

Running Head: INTERGRATING TEAMS AFTER DOWNSIZING 1
A Short Case Study
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INTERGRATING TEAMS AFTER DOWNSIZING 2
Integrating Teams after Downsizing
Question 1
Most companies downsize to increase profitability or make the company more
productive. The organization might not achieve the perceived outcome after layoffs. Due to
negative effects of the downsizing, and the employees who survived might record poor
performance as they have doubts about their jobs and job security which reduces their efforts,
satisfaction in the job and commitment to their work (Armstrong-Stassen, & Cattaneo 2010).
For Paul to form a strong and unified team, first he needs to assure his team that their
jobs are secured. By ensuring the team members have a stable mindset and no doubts about
losing their jobs, the team can focus on their job responsibilities and deliver the required results.
Through determining the economic standing within the company, Paul as the manager can create
a budget and minimize the expenses which can create security for the company and ensuring no
more layoffs and concentrate on the jobs.
Creating an opportunity for the team to bond on personal levels through activities such as
team buildings would strengthen and unify the new team. The bonding of the two new
departments allows the forming of the new team and breaking of separate teams at the same
time.
Question 2
Merging of two departments represent is another way organizations cut cost and increase
profitability and productivity. Paul should set goals in line with the departmental objectives, the
company values, and beliefs for the team members to ensure performance improvement towards
the goals of the organization. Through team building, Paul can find out the strengths and
weakness of all the team members and know what kind of roles they can perform to acheive the

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organizations objectives. The management should also not show favoritism to any members to
promote competency and hard work among the members of the merged departments (Kihl, Shaw
& Schull 2013).
Remind the team members to understand their purpose and reflect on why the team exists
and talk about shared values and guide on how to approach shared work. Paul should also have
the team think about what they need and how to accomplish them to stay focused on the
objectives. Employee engagement is critical in the job performance of employees (Christian,
Garza, & Slaughter, 2011)
Question 3
Beliefs and values that exist in an organization for a long time are referred to as
organization culture (Casida & Pinto, 2008). For the new merger, the manager should ensure that
the beliefs and values of the new department are still in line with the standards and
responsibilities of all the persons involved. The foresee value of their work influences the value
of their work and in turn, influence their attitudes and behavior. Paul as a manager and needs to
adjust his leadership behavior to accomplish the core values and objectives of the organization as
this would influence transition and employee’s job satisfaction.
Question 4
HR department can assist Paul in planning and organizing training for the new
department to understand what the merger is all about and what is required of them as a
department. Training enables the idea of making people more alike than different in one area and
deemphasizes the individual indifference. It provides a different type of learning to the new
changes that occur and how to stay focused on the objective and the organizational goal. Given

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that the new department is made up of people from different departments, communication and
coordination of the new team is critical and the manager should set up channels of
communications to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings.