Business reorganisation today is increasingly being defined not by cost pressures, but by whether organisational capability is keeping pace with strategy.
This was the central perspective shared by Wawasan Open University (WOU) Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Professor Ts. Dr. Yap Eng Hwa, during a panel discussion on “Rightsizing & Reorganisation of Business” held at the WOU main campus on 17 April 2026.
Highlighting a widening gap between evolving business demands and workforce readiness, he noted that the core challenge is often not organisational structure, but whether existing skills remain relevant to new business directions.
“Companies are transforming, but their existing workforce may not fully align with new technical or digital requirements. The real challenge today is not restructuring the organisation, but how quickly talent can adapt,” he said.
On the evolution of reorganisation practices, Prof. Yap pointed to a shift away from one-off restructuring exercises towards a more continuous process shaped by ongoing business and technological shifts.
He also cautioned against viewing reorganisation purely as a headcount exercise. Instead, he emphasised the importance of workforce repositioning, where employees are supported to move into adjacent or emerging roles. This, he added, requires learning and development to be embedded within an organisation’s transformation process.
“Organisations need systems to continuously assess skills and support internal mobility to remain responsive to evolving demands. Long-term sustainability depends on how well you grow and redeploy your people, not just how efficiently you restructure.”
Prof. Ts. Dr. Yap Eng Hwa
The panel discussion, moderated by Tan Gek Im, RDS Corporate Conveyancing Partner, was part of the Employment Law Briefing 2026 seminar organised by RDS Partnership.
Fellow panellists included Selvaraju Pillai, Chairman of the Malaysian Institute of Human Resource Management (MIHRM) Northern Region Chapter, and Rajeswari Karupiah, RDS Employment & Industrial Relations Partner.
