Written By Cari Borden

Everyone hears the official story.
“We’re restructuring to streamline operations.”
“We need to stay competitive in a changing market.”

But behind the polished press release, the conversations sound nothing like the carefully crafted talking points.

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The Real Script Behind Closed Doors

In the boardroom, the words aren’t about growth or innovation, they’re about headcount, savings, and percentages. “Who do we cut? How fast? How much do we save?”

Loyalty and tenure don’t hold weight when a spreadsheet dictates who stays and who goes. The only numbers that seem untouchable? Executive bonuses.

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Empathy Missing in Action

No one is pausing to ask, “How will this impact families?” or “What happens to those who gave years of loyalty?”

Instead, the conversation shifts to optics:

• “How do we spin this?”
• “What messaging will calm the storm?”
• “How do we protect our reputation?”

The silence on empathy is deafening.

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Protecting the Top

The cruel irony: while frontline employees are told to “tighten belts,” executives walk away with performance bonuses, achieved on the backs of those now being shown the door.

It’s not about fairness. It’s about protecting the hierarchy.

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The Collateral Damage

Restructuring isn’t just about layoffs. It’s about the survivors left behind:

• Teams gutted and stretched thin.
• Morale shattered by fear.
• Trust eroded beyond repair.

The long-term cost? Creativity and loyalty, things you can’t capture on a balance sheet.

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Final Thought

The next time you hear the word “restructuring,” listen between the lines. What’s really being protected isn’t “growth” or “efficiency.”

It’s bonuses, power, and image.

Until leaders bring empathy into those behind-closed-door conversations, restructuring will never be about progress, it will always be about survival of the fittest (or richest).