Organizational design is more than just rearranging an org chart; it’s about creating a structure that aligns with your company’s mission, vision, and strategic goals. While many consultants start at the top (mission, vision, etc.) and work their way down, Stratavize Consulting flips the script. We start at the ground level, analyzing daily tasks and building upward to craft an organization that thrives. Keep reading to see how we do it and why our approach delivers long-lasting results.
Psst: If you need some clarity on why organizational design is a complex process versus a simple org chart, check out our article on the differences between the two here.
Organizational Design: Start at the Bottom
Tasks First, Structure Second
At Stratavize, we begin with what happens every day. Employees’ tasks are the foundation of any organization, yet these are often overlooked when designing a company’s structure. In fact, we often see a great disconnect between lofty visions the C-suite has and the actual work done by the front line workers. By digging into the details of what employees actually do, we uncover overlaps, redundancies, and opportunities for efficiency – and only after putting in the work to understand what happens and why can we then reconcile this with the mission and vision.
Step 1: Task Analysis
We identify the tasks performed daily across roles, asking questions such as:
- What is being done?
- Who is responsible for these tasks?
- Is this the most logical person to handle these tasks?
- Are there overlaps or gaps in responsibilities?
- What’s the purpose of this work?
Step 2: Bundle Tasks for Efficiency
After identifying tasks, we look for ways to bundle responsibilities into logical groupings. This step often reveals opportunities to:
- Eliminate unnecessary duplication of effort.
- Streamline workflows.
- Create synergies between teams and departments.
This analysis ensures the foundation of the organization—its day-to-day work—is as efficient and effective as possible. It also starts to better align daily operations with your company’s mission and vision.
Redefining Roles
Job Descriptions with a Future Focus
Once we’ve analyzed the work, the next step is to align job descriptions with what employees actually do today—and what they need to do to support the organization’s future. We want to ensure you’re performing well now amongst your peers and dominating the industry in the future. So, how do we get there?
Updating Job Descriptions
Job descriptions often become outdated as roles evolve. We rewrite them to reflect:
- Current responsibilities.
- Skills and competencies required for success.
- Emerging needs as the company grows and adapts or new trends are identified.
We want this work to outlast us and position your organization for success. This also helps ensure you find the right people to fill roles in the future (because you already know what their day-to-day looks like and how they serve the broader company purpose) and they stay long term once hired (because expectations were appropriately set from the moment they saw the job description).
Assessing Job Titles
A job title isn’t just a label—it signals an employee’s role and position within the company. By aligning titles with updated job descriptions, we:
- Clarify expectations.
- Establish accountability.
- Ensure consistency across departments.
It helps leadership understand where responsibility is held and how to distribute resources to achieve goals. Appropriate titles also give a good structure for upward mobility among departments. Employees will have a better grasp of where they fit in and where their career could take them in the future by having tangible examples of logical next steps.
Mapping the Org Chart: Positioning Roles for Success
Once roles are clearly defined, we assess how they fit into the organization as a whole. This is where the org chart comes into play – especially now that we know what people do, can summarize how they support the company, and what their titles should be.
Clarifying Reporting Relationships
Many organizations struggle with ambiguities in reporting structures. Employees might have dotted-line reporting relationships or unofficial responsibilities that don’t align with formal job descriptions. This makes it incredibly hard to allocate resources, reward good performance, and troubleshoot problems. We fix this by reconciling:
- Who employees actually work for.
- Who they formally report to.
- How dotted-line reporting impacts workflows and decision-making.
Positioning on the Org Chart
By understanding the functions of each role, we design an org chart that:
- Clearly illustrates reporting lines.
- Reflects logical groupings of roles and responsibilities.
- Supports collaboration and communication across the organization.
The Role of a Facilitator in Organizational Design
Are you ready to DIY or does this sound like a lot of work? Organizations often face internal challenges when reevaluating their structure. Biases, personal relationships, and resistance to change can hinder progress. That’s where a facilitator like Stratavize comes in. Our only motivator is your success.
An Unbiased Perspective
As external consultants, we bring a neutral, objective lens to organizational design. We are not influenced by internal politics or personal histories, ensuring decisions are:
- Data-driven.
- Focused on the company’s strategic goals.
- Aligned with industry best practices.
- Future-focused.
We’re not going to suggest a solution just because “that’s the way it has always been.”
Data-Driven Improvements
Using analytics and insights, we:
- Evaluate employee performance and task alignment.
- Identify opportunities to optimize workflows.
- Suggest improvements that help businesses dominate their industries.
For example, we won’t recommend keeping someone on staff just because they’ve “been here forever.” Instead, we focus on what the data tells us about performance, efficiency, and the needs of the organization. It’s a tough job for someone who must build relationships and rapport with the employees which is why you need an outside facilitator who is okay having tough conversations and does it in a way that empowers and uplifts the organization.
The Big Picture: How Everything Fits Together
Organizational design isn’t just about roles and responsibilities—it’s about creating a structure that allows the company to achieve its goals. Once we’ve defined tasks, clarified roles, and mapped the org chart, we help companies understand how everything fits together.
Aligning with Strategy
The ultimate goal of organizational design is to ensure the structure supports the company’s mission, vision, and strategy. This involves:
- Ensuring teams have the resources they need to succeed.
- Creating a structure that supports growth and scalability.
- Building a culture of accountability and collaboration.
Preparing for the Future
Organizations must also be ready to adapt to change. By designing a flexible and forward-thinking structure, Stratavize helps companies:
- Anticipate future needs.
- Respond to industry trends.
- Stay ahead of the competition.
Why Start with Stratavize?
At Stratavize Consulting, we believe that great organizational design starts at the ground level. By focusing on tasks, roles, and reporting relationships, we create structures that are not only efficient but also aligned with your company’s strategic goals. With our unbiased perspective and data-driven approach, we help businesses transform their organizations and achieve long-term success.
For businesses facing complexity, misalignment, or growth, organizational design is the key to building a structure that supports both today’s operations and tomorrow’s ambitions. Organizational Design is just one part of our four-part process in the Stratavize Transformation Model. When you activate all four parts of the model, you’ll see Whole Systems Change: everything improves together.
Ready to begin your organizational design journey? Contact Stratavize Consulting today and let us help you build a structure that supports your vision for the future.
