Best Practices For Internal Communication In Mergers

A common communications problem I see in organizations with low-trust cultures: 🔺 Executive team makes a major decision that will change the company's direction or structure, a key employee experience, or a core process/tool. 🚨 All employees are notified at the same time - including people leaders and managers (because "this is HIGHLY sensitive and we can't risk a leak!") ⁉️ Employees instantly turn to their managers: "What does this mean for me?" 🤷♀️ Managers have NO idea because they just found out too. 😣 Employees are anxious, managers are anxious AND frustrated (not to mentioned embarrassed for feeling out of the loop). 👎 Productivity drops, morale suffers, and intent to leave rises. Managers are either your culture's biggest pain point or biggest success factor. The difference is you - not them. The difference is how well you empower them to actively advocate for the company's direction and goals and set them up to successfully lead their teams through these moments. The difference is trust. Here's an alternative way that scenario can play out in a high-trust, high-functioning culture: 🔺 Executive team makes a major decision that will change the company's direction or structure, a key employee experience, or a core process/tool. 💡 Executive team meets with all people leaders and managers a day before the internal company announcement. They inform them of the decision; provide background context that may not be appropriate for a broader audience; share resources to help managers support employees and answer anticipated questions; and give them time to absorb the change themselves and prepare for their team's response. 🚨 All employees are notified and are immediately invited to a team meeting by their manager. ⁉️ Employees instantly turn to their managers: "What does this mean for me?" 🤷♀️ Managers reiterate key company talking points plus add context unique to the team that helps put the change in perspective. They share links and points of contact for additional questions. They provide clear next steps for the team on how they are going to implement the change. 😣 Employees are processing the change, but feel in control. Managers feel prepared and valuable and a part of the broader leadership team. They are invested in a successful outcome. 👍 Productivity holds steady. Trust and morale increase because people feel respected. Empowered managers are sturdy leaders. Better yet, by bringing your managers into the 'room', you increase their self-confidence and deepen their commitment to the company by enabling them to be good at their jobs. Win-win. Again and again. #Culture #LeadershipDevelopment #InternalCommunications #ManagerDevelopment #Trust #Transparency

Culture clash is real when you're in acquisition mode. When companies merge, you can't just have an operational onboarding check list and call it a day. Companies are people. You are merging people. If you skip the onboarding, the relationship building, the cultural alignment, employees feel confused, customers feel disconnected, and suddenly, the brand feels "off". Here’s how our clients make M&A transitions look easy 💅 : 👉 Clarity: Establish a clear vision that’s shared across both teams. We do this through surveys, realignment around archetypes, sharing stories of past wins, and defining together who we are as a merged team, and where we're going. 👉 Alignment: Internalize your vision with your employees. Create internal campaigns that reinforce the messaging, conduct workshops to teach real world use cases for telling our story, and make it fun with teasers and merch drops. 👉 Activation: Get loud and clear with your audience. Rollout language to customers and partners in ways that speak to their problems, reinforce their decision to work with you, and show them the future you are building together. Have you been through an M&A brand project? What did I miss?

Danger in the White Space: The Vital Role of Honest Communication in M&A Integration    In any M&A integration, one of the greatest risks lies in the proverbial “white space” — the absence of clear communication.    When information is lacking, team members fill the gaps with assumptions, which are often misguided or flat out wrong.    I recently sat down with my fellow integration gurus, Lisa Clarke and Dr. Pamela Mattsson, PhD. Here are our top four tips to foster honest communication: 1. Communicate decisions early: Address changes head-on instead of withholding tough news. Be clear about what is changing and why. Preparing your team for potential shifts is far better than delivering bad news at the last moment. 2. Acknowledge uncertainty: Instead of pretending to have all the answers, which is rarely the case during integration, leaders should embrace the unknown. Phrases like “the plan is evolving, but we’ll keep you updated” can reduce panic, fostering solidarity among team members. 3. Encourage feedback: Open dialogue is key. Host town halls and one-on-one sessions where employees can voice concerns and insights, to create trust and empower your teams. 4. Admit mistakes along the way: Leaders can show their human side by acknowledging mistakes and being vulnerable. Statements like “I think we screwed this up” can break down barriers and foster a culture of trust.     Honest communication may require courage, but it’s essential during an integration.    By prioritizing open and direct conversations, you can navigate challenges more effectively and build a resilient organization.   #PostMergerIntegration #HonestCommunication #LeadershipInAction #MergersAndAcquisitions __ Hey, I'm Sangeeta! If this resonated, follow along as I share real stories and lessons on how companies unlock results—or DM me for a free consulting call. Link to my website in the comments. 

Over the last few months, I've been having a lot of conversations with HR leaders who are going through Mergers & Acquisitions and wanted to share some thoughts around what we see working. 1. Transparent Communication Keep employees informed about the changes to their benefits and total rewards package. Regular updates can help reduce uncertainty and build trust. 2. Personalized Support Offer sessions and resources to address individual employee concerns. This personalized approach ensures that each employee feels heard and valued. 3. Consistent Messaging Ensure that the information provided is consistent across all platforms and from all levels of the organization. This helps prevent misinformation and confusion. By following these best practices, HR teams can better support their employees through the complexities of mergers and acquisitions, making them feel better about the transition. If this is something you are going through as an HR leader or about to go through, send me a direct message and I'm happy to share some thoughts.