Middle managers and supervisors in my company were notified yesterday, out of the blue, that there is going to be a major restructuring of our division of the company. Nobody is going to lose his/her job, but every employee above the entry level jobs will be affected by the changes.

Sure, a number of employees will be working at slightly lower pay levels than before, but the greatest impacts will be, first, who is working for (and with) whom. And, second, where the work location will be (change or no change). Some poor souls will have their pay, their supervisor, their coworkers, their work locations, all four, change in the next month or two.

Change is hard, anxiety-producing and disruptive of productivity and service levels. I've noticed in the past, and I assume it will be evinced this time as well, that some people deal with the change better than others.

In fact, some folks seem to thrive on change and look forward to the new evironment and work assignment as a challenge. Some, all they can see is a 'demotion' and a disruption of alliances, comfort zones, and familiar tasks.

Many people will cope with the stressors by talking it out with coworkers and friends. Others will lock themselves in their offices or hide in the restrooms and sulk or cry. Some will go home and beat their wives or girlfriends. Some will get sick, some angry, especially the less intelligent ones for whom adaptation to anything new is a frightening mental challenge as well as a social and emotional one.

Over 6 decades of life I have experienced change upon change. I went to 21 elementary and middle schools, for instance. I lost my little sister, my father and my beloved great-grandmother all in the space of six months. I learned at a very young age how to cope with drastic life changes, loss and recovery. It's a skill like any other, enhanced by more practice than I care to remember.

Here it comes again.