1️⃣ Reorgs can hide a leadership problem A four-year study of one consulting firm found that leaders used restructuring to manage their own anxiety. Collaboration plans stalled as executives held on to control, and performance kept falling.
💡 Why it matters Before redrawing the org chart, test the business case and what the leadership team may be avoiding.
☕ Coffee talk Who benefits from this reorg if the performance problem stays put?
2️⃣ Unsteady pay can push strong performers out A study of 711 truck drivers linked variable pay to turnover, even among top performers. The link was stronger when checks fell below average, workers had little control or their household relied on that income.
💡 Why it matters Judge an incentive plan by the pay workers can count on, not just the upside it advertises.
☕ Coffee talk How much control does a driver have over the next bad week?
3️⃣ Remote performance ran through informal controls In a study of 288 managers overseeing 8,351 employees, informal controls partly linked remote work to performance; formal controls did not.
💡 Why it matters Managers need clear outcomes and enough trust to let work happen away from the screen.
☕ Coffee talk If output is the test, why is the calendar still full of check-ins?