The restructuring of educational institution networks often leads to significant organizational changes that directly impact employees’ professional well-being and their sense of belonging to the organization. In the studied Lithuanian municipality, a preschool education reform was implemented, merging ten independent kindergartens into one centralized institution to optimize resources and ensure higher quality of education. However, such structural reforms pose challenges for employees’ identity, motivation, and emotional well-being.

The aim of this study is to explore how employees perceive the culture of the new organization after reorganization and whether a sense of identity from the previous divisions persists. The study seeks to identify connections between maintaining identity, sense of belonging, community spirit, and employees’ motivation and emotional well-being. A multi-level methodology is applied: document analysis (municipal decisions, reorganization plans, internal institutional documents), secondary statistical data analysis (staff turnover, demographic data, organizational structure), and a quantitative employee survey.

The survey questions focus on the clarity of organizational values, opportunities to participate in decision-making, the level of interdepartmental collaboration, and emotional attachment to the organization. Initial results show that employees experience changes differently: some feel more integrated into the new organization, while others still strongly identify with their former divisions. It was observed that employees who lost their sense of previous division identity are more likely to experience emotional stress and decreased job satisfaction.

The study’s findings highlight the importance of addressing not only structural and financial aspects during reorganizations but also the “soft” dimensions of the organization, such as culture and employees’ emotional well-being. This becomes crucial for ensuring successful implementation of reorganization and long-term staff engagement.

Keywords: Organizational culture, employee motivation, emotional well-being, education reform, kindergarten.