ABSTRACT
Historically, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), a large, mature organization, could count on an unending pool of employees who slowly worked their way through and up the organization. Managers determined what resources they needed to do the job and got the employees they requested with the associated knowledge and experience they felt was necessary. Staff were hired at entry-level positions and worked their way up through the organization. What happens when that organization goes from over 12,000 employees down to 7,500 through purposeful downsizing to accommodate a new business model but which puts at risk the knowledge and ability to deliver the program with which it is charged? While new employees to the organization may come in with education and some work experience, they will not have the institutional knowledge or access to the hidden networks that were the basis of success for more than 100 years. How do you address those issues and ensure that you are prepared for additional downsizing and changes?
