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Home > About USPS & News > Forms & Publications > Postal Periodicals and Publications > Manuals > Employee and Labor Relations Manual - Issue 18 > 1 Organizational Structures > 150 Organizational Change Process
150 Organizational Change Process
151 Performance Problems
No organization is static. Managers should ensure that structure and staffing
meet the unit's objective. However, an organization may not perform up to
expectations for reasons other than structure and/or staffing deficiencies. If
the organization is fundamentally sound, structure and staffing should be left
intact and other courses of action should be considered. Frequently, causes
of "organizational problems" can be traced to one or more of the problems
listed below in items a through g. If the organization suffers from any of the
following problems, structural or staffing changes are not likely to correct
them; these problems must be addressed directly by actions unrelated to the
organizational design process:
a. Unclear or inadequate training.
b. Unrealistic goal setting and planning.
c. Inadequate and/or inconsistent recruitment and selection practices.
d. Outmoded or cumbersome methods and procedures.
e. Ineffective managerial controls and feedback.
f. Inadequate managerial communication.
g. Ineffective instruction by management.
152 Reasons for Making Organizational Changes
There are several reasons for requesting a change to organizational structure
or staffing. Basic reasons include changes in:
a. Type of work performed.
b. The amount of work performed.
c. Operating procedures.
153 Types of Organizational Changes
Proposed organizational changes are classified as major or minor, as
specified in 153.2 and 153.3. Organizational change requests can originate at
any level of management. Usually, an installation head initiates a formal
request and submits it through administrative channels for approval. These
requests should be discussed on an informal basis with higher level
functional management and district or area Human Resources and/or
Headquarters Employee Resource Management prior to official submission.
The approval level depends on the nature and magnitude of the change and
may be any of the following:
a. The district.
b. The area.
c. Employee Resource Management at Headquarters.
d. Higher management in Human Resources.
153.2 Major Organizational Changes
Major organizational changes for field units, implemented by Employee
Resource Management, normally involve one or more of the following:
a. Establishment of a new bargaining or nonbargaining position
description, occupation code, or grade.
b. Modification of a bargaining or nonbargaining position description that
requires rewriting.
c. A nonstandard reporting relationship.
d. An exception to a staffing matrix that exceeds the allowable number or
mix of positions for the category.
e. Use of a nonstandard position at the third level or above for districts,
processing and distribution centers and facilities and bulk mail centers,
and at the second managerial level and above for Post Offices and
postmaster grades Executive and Administrative Schedule (EAS)-21
and above.
f. Any other structure or position specifically reserved for Headquarters
approval.
153.22 Headquarters Units
Major organizational changes for Headquarters units normally involve one or
more of the following:
a. Establishment of a new bargaining or nonbargaining position
description, occupation code, or grade.
b. Modification of a bargaining or nonbargaining position description that
requires rewriting.
c. A nonstandard reporting relationship.
d. Any other structure or position generally reserved for approval by
Employee Resource Management.
153.3 Minor Organizational Changes
Minor organizational changes for field units normally involve the addition or
deletion of nonbargaining or bargaining unit positions that appear in
authorization guidelines furnished to each district manager by Employee
Resource Management. For organizational units at the district level and
below, the district Human Resources function processes minor organizational
changes.
153.32 Headquarters Units
Minor organizational changes for Headquarters units normally involve the
addition or deletion of nonsupervisory or nonmanagerial positions.
154 Submitting Requests
154.1 Field Units
Field units forward requests with appropriate documentation (see 155)
through appropriate channels to the district manager. Each higher level of
management must concur before final submission of the request. Failure to
obtain higher level concurrence results in return of the request with no action
taken.
154.2 Headquarters Units
Headquarters units forward requests with appropriate documentation through
administrative channels to Employee Resource Management. Each higher
level of management must concur before final submission of the request.
Failure to obtain higher level concurrence will result in return of the request
with no action taken.
155 Documenting Requests
155.1 Major Organizational Changes
Requests involving a major change must be documented as follows:
a. Prepare a cover letter describing the purpose of the change, including
any anticipated benefits and associated costs. Attach concurrence
letters from each higher level of management that include evaluative
comments.
b. Include a revised functional statement for the organizational entity, if
appropriate.
c. Complete a narrative request for each new nonbargaining unit job and
a PS Form 820, Ranking of Position Request (see Exhibit 212.2), for
each new bargaining unit job requested, and each existing position that
will be substantially affected (see Chapter 2).
d. Attach an organizational chart showing the current organization in
terms of structure, tours, reporting relationships, numbers and types of
positions, titles, grades, and occupation codes.
e. Attach an organizational chart showing the proposed organization in
terms of structure, tours, reporting relationships, numbers and types of
positions, titles, and known occupation codes and grades.
f. Include any relevant statistical data that may help in the analytical
process.
155.2 Minor Organizational Change
Requests involving a minor change must be documented as follows:
a. Addition. If the requested position is the same as an existing position,
provide a letter containing appropriate justification for the addition.
b. Modification. If the requested position is a modification of an existing
position, provide (1) a completed narrative request for nonbargaining
unit positions and/or a PS Form 820 for bargaining unit positions and
(2) a cover letter justifying the modification. See Chapter 2 for
further information.
c. Reversion. If the requested position replaces an authorized position,
provide information about the position being reverted in a letter
justifying the reversion. (If it is a bargaining unit position, provide the
key, standard, or individual position number and specify whether or not
the position is encumbered.)
156 Approval Authority
For minor organizational changes in the field that do not involve a revision of
an existing job description, the district Human Resources manager approves
changes for field units. If the request involves a change to an existing job
description, the request must be forwarded through appropriate
administrative channels to Customer Requirements, Employee Resource
Management, for review. If the request contains elements of a major
organizational change, advice should be obtained from Customer
Requirements within Employee Resource Management before proceeding.
156.2 Headquarters
All organizational changes in Headquarters and area offices require the
approval of Customer Requirements, Employee Resource Management.
157 Disposition of Requests
Customer Requirements, Employee Resource Management, may approve,
approve in part, deny, or propose changes to organizational change requests.
An approved request ready for implementation includes all or some of the
following:
a. A revised functional statement.
b. An organizational chart showing reporting relationships.
c. A list of approved job titles, grades, occupational codes, and numbers
of positions.
d. Implementation guidelines, where appropriate.
A letter explaining the reasons for denying a request is sent through
administrative channels to the initiating manager.
157.21 General
Managers, Human Resources, may approve, approve in part, or deny minor
field changes within their authority or forward to Headquarters those actions
not within their authority.
A request that has been approved is sent to the initiating official through
appropriate channels.
A letter explaining the reasons for denying a request is sent to the requesting
official, with copies provided to the appropriate functional units.
157.3 Implementation Guidelines
To effect a major organizational change with servicewide impact, Customer
Requirements, Employee Resource Management, prepares an
implementation plan that contains guidelines for necessary actions.
Functional management at Headquarters provides technical guidance, as
requested, to ensure accuracy of content and consistency with established
policy.
While circumstances unique to each organizational change govern the
implementation plan content, the following illustrates some of the items that
may be appropriate:
a. Personnel policies.
b. A schedule of target dates for each stage of the plan.
c. Anticipated internal operational impacts of the modified structure and/or
staffing plan.
d. Standard position descriptions for new or modified jobs.
e. Guidelines for consolidating duties and responsibilities.
f. Guidelines covering the transfer of functions to or from another
organizational unit.
g. Clarification of new reporting relationships.
h. Instructions concerning changes affecting bargaining unit positions and
consultations with local unions, as necessary.
i. Suggested procedures for monitoring compliance.
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