My boss is not my boss anymore

[stella]

There has been a reorganization in my company.

My boss has been reassigned and now is not my boss anymore but a member of the same time am I am part of, maintaining his seniority somehow (I don't have details but I don't think that changed, would be weird). I personally don't like this situation as I feel my professional growth will always be blocked by his presence. Since the new organization will take place starting next Monday, he asked what I think about it and I have been honest with him (we work together since more than 3 years and I don't feel uncomfortable telling him) and told him that I feel bla bla. I also added that if he would be the boss of the team, I would not have thought so.

His reply: we'll see with the new boss of the team and HR. Didn't like it personally.

How should I try to talk to the new boss (I don't trust him because he is temporary, they are hiring one) and the HR (a person I dislike and that usually flips words at her best convenience)? 

Another option is discussing this with the company owner. It's not a big company and honestly I have confidence enough since this year we had worked at some project together and I have already been direct and honest with him on work related topics. Note: he's the brother of my bos (ex), the one I have the coexistence problem with. But they barely talk I think. Like bare minimum.

I need to find a solution to this. I wouldn't like to start be less productive to call their attention if there's another solution. And changing job now is not a good moment. 

[ExpatInItaly]

It's not so clear what the issue is. 

Are you concerned you won't be promoted in the futture because thia man will now be working alongside you and will continue to outrank you? 

What is it you would like the company to do about it? I would be prepared to explain this, since they may not know what you wish to see happen. 

[stella]

Yes, my concern is that us being on the same "level" in the team will be a problem in the future. As in I will always be the junior among us (even if I am senior). He's older, he's in the company since more time, he has a higher level on the contract (level and salary) and he is the brother of one of the two owner of the company. I think this is sufficient to give me the idea that I won't be competing at the same level as him. 

I think the company did wrong putting him in the same team as me at the same level, I would like the company to either promote him to be the head of the team again (the position is unfilled) or find a different team to fit him into (I basically can't be the one removed because I know too much about the product engineer of the product we work on, this guy until now only got very high level updates but he would need months to get to know the details).

Edited August 30 by stella

[ShySoul]

A lot of this is dependent on why they changed his role to begin with. Is he stepping back? Was there legal or financial concerns that required the change? It's hard to saw how this will be viewed in the future if the details of why it happened in the present aren't clear.

I'm guessing that they figured this would be the easiest adjustment. It makes sense to keep him on the same team as he already knows the players and the work. Someone needs to the work he is being assigned and it's more efficient for it to be someone who already understands it. Moving him somewhere else means he and a whole new team will have to get used to each other, creating time spent getting up to spend and the risk of personality conflicts. Moving someone else to your team poses the same risks in your group. 

Also, if he is older, does he perhaps have some specialized knowledge they think would be helpful on this team? Just trying to consider all possibilities.

At this point you concerns are valid, but they are also speculation. No one really knows how this will play out. You don't know if your former boss will get special treatment or if you will be passed over for him. You can voice your concerns to the owner if you feel you can trust him, but I think there is also the risk of looking like you aren't a team player. You aren't aware of the behind the scenes management decisions being made. Say something if it really bothers you, but I'd refrain from making it seem like a demand. Just state your concerns and that you want to be sure you are being judged fairly on the quality of your own work, not compared to someone else. Then I'd let things play out and see how the changes affect the work environment. Stick to doing the best job you can. If there comes a point you feel you are being overlooked, bring it up. And if you are ignored then, it shows the company doesn't fully value you and would be a good reason to work towards leaving. 

[MsJayne]

It's not your problem. He's a family member of the business owner, that's probably a big part of why he was in the position he was in and maybe it's turned out that behind the scenes his brother's not happy with his work performance, it's no small thing to stand someone down from a position of seniority so there's clearly something amiss there. There's whole lot more going on here than what you're seeing, and my advice is to just keep quiet and get on with your work, don't be drawn into any office politics that are going on. If you're snarky about him being paid more than you while he's now doing the same job as you, right now is not the time to bring it up. If it's still happening in a few weeks, then you have a right to politely raise the question. You have no reason to feel his presence may stifle your potential to progress within the company, if anything he's the employee who should be feeling uneasy about the new order. 

Edited September 2 by MsJayne