What companies may really mean when they say they’re “reassessing the Scope”

While the HR department might describe an organization’s intention to "reassess the scope" as formal and neutral, it does not always have that tone for employees who encounter it frequently in hiring processes, job restructuring talks, position redesigns, or budget discussions. In most organizations, it can mean that the leadership has not decided on what the role involves, how much seniority it should be granted, or whether it will continue with the original plans altogether.

This confusion is especially problematic since employees may still be expected to work as normal despite the pending changes. Studies conducted by the American Psychological Association find that ambiguity and unclear expectations in the workplace are significant causes of stress and exhaustion among employees. People can endure tough circumstances better if there is a clear timeline and expectation set out for them.

The frustrating part comes when employees are forced to wait with no further information on how the process will unfold. Will the job scope be expanded? Will it be cut down? Would the role require changing departments or positions? Or would it simply no longer exist?

Companies often use broad wording while leadership debates internally

This might have been one of the reasons why the phrase has become commonplace, as there might be disagreements within the organization on where to take the next step. For instance, disagreements may arise concerning staffing, reporting structure, seniority levels, and budgets, among others. This, therefore, makes the use of such a term in HR language deliberately ambiguous to allow room for change in case need arises. As stated by SHRM HR management guidelines, organizational uncertainty, even when there is no official decision made yet, affects the morale, engagement, and trust of employees.

This can go a long way towards explaining why the use of the phrase in question comes across as heavy as it does. Management, as it were, sees it as cautious planning; to many employees, it means an ongoing lack of stability without any sense of what lies ahead. According to McKinsey & Company research, disengagement amongst employees occurs more quickly when the employees find themselves trapped in uncertain career or organizational contexts.

Waiting without clarity can become psychologically exhausting

Among the most difficult parts of any ongoing reassessment is that the employees feel like they cannot move forward while their managers are figuring out what to do with their roles. They may not be ready to negotiate their salary or look for a different job, change the division of tasks, or other personal things since the role has yet to be defined. According to Gallup's workplace engagement research, employees are significantly more engaged when their managers' expectations and goals remain clear.

Healthy organizations are aware that there is an emotional price for any uncertainty, even if it means that the decision hasn't been made yet. Regardless of the situation, employees should get a schedule, information about operations, and a clear explanation of what decisions have yet to be made. The expression "Reassessing the scope" appears rather innocent compared to what the employees may see in it. Indeed, on paper, reassessment only means a temporary revision. However, it is a completely different story in real life.