Integrating a company with an acquiring company is a delicate and critical activity. Many deals fail to yield projected returns because of the failure to integrate the acquired company’s business processes, technologies, human resource systems, policies, and culture.
Insecurity amongst the workforce is high. Hierarchies are threatened, and people in leadership positions, in particular, are worried about their future. Speculation and rumors on the road ahead for the company are rife.
If the acquisition is undertaken by private equity, any other investment institution, or a company familiar with post-acquisition challenges, these are handled relatively quickly.
Integration experts are brought in to move the integration process quickly and efficiently. The integration consultant encourages the new leadership to undertake a company-wide communication campaign in which the acquiring company’s objectives, vision, and strategies are explained. Employees’ questions are answered, and a concerted effort is made to calm things down.
Meanwhile, the tedious but essential process of integrating processes, technologies, strategies, business models, marketing strategies, customer outreach, sales review, organization restructuring, financial review, review of functions, and much more is undertaken.
The effort is to move the integration process quickly.