Restructuring in an age of uncertainty
Corporate Canada is undergoing its largest reorganization since the early 1990s. Remote work, digital infrastructure, and demographic change are forcing firms to rethink structure and scale. In 2025, 43% of large companies reported a major operating-model redesign, compared with just 18% a decade ago (Conference Board of Canada).
| Indicator | 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firms reporting org redesigns | 18% | 29% | 43% | Conference Board |
| Share of hybrid roles | 9% | 34% | 48% | StatsCan Labour Force |
| Share of middle managers cut (avg.) | — | — | 12% | Deloitte 2025 HR Study |
Drivers of change
- Digital-first operating models flatten hierarchies and reduce coordination cost.
- Cost-of-capital pressure forces efficiency and portfolio focus.
- Hybrid work demands a flexible layer of project-based management.
What leaders can do
- Rebuild organizations for outcomes, not titles. Align teams around measurable impact.
- Automate coordination. Use workflow AI for internal transparency.
- Adopt network-based management. Cross-functional pods outperform traditional departments by 15%.
- Institutionalize change capability. Continuous reorganization is the new normal.
Arcus Insight: The 2030 organization will be modular, data-driven, and adaptive — less hierarchy, more choreography.