Tips in Preparing Your Employees for a Merger
Merging your company with another can be a daunting task. It takes time to finish and there might be several bumps along the way. You also have to prepare your employees for this possibility. Not all of them will agree to it, but they don’t have a choice. You should prepare them for what will happen next and be transparent in every step of the way. These are some useful tips in helping employees prepare for a merger.
Keep them informed
You have to tell everyone what’s going on, and the reason behind the merger. You should also introduce them to the people they have to work with as the business moves forward. Even the mission and vision of the other company should also be clear to them. If you already know what changes will happen, your employees also deserve to know them. Being transparent allows them to feel involved. They will also be motivated to keep working hard even if the work environment begins to change.
Create a transition plan
It’s not enough to say that there will be a merger. You also have to indicate the transition plan. If there are details that everyone needs to know, you should tell them. If they have questions about it, you should also respond. Even the transition timeline should also be clear to the employees. It allows them to create their own schedule to meet the deadlines.
Stay true to your core values
Even if things are beginning to change because of the merger, you should still highlight the core values of the company. You have to let the employees know that nothing will change. You can find ways to align your values with the other company, but the core is similar. Staying true to your values will also help the employees realize that it’s in their best interest to stay. They already invested in the company because they share the same values. You don’t want them to leave because they no longer see themselves as suitable employees for the company.
Be optimistic
You can’t expect the merger to be a smooth path. There will be lots of issues to deal with. Despite the changes, you have to stay positive. You can’t expect your employees to feel good if you don’t show optimism. Tell them that there will be problems at first, but the results are worth it. If they already start feeling negative about the process, you should cheer them up. If they have questions, you should also be willing to answer.
Hopefully, this endeavor will benefit everyone. It will also turn out the way you expected. If it doesn’t, you should keep going. You see the bigger picture and hope that things will end as planned.
Photo Attribution:
1st and featured image from https://i0.wp.com/emplify.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/mergers-and-acquisitions.jpg?fit=500%2C334&ssl=1
2nd image from https://alisondavis123.medium.com/5-dynamic-ways-to-keep-your-employees-engaged-during-mergers-and-acquisitions-80d0261e8709
