When companies initially merge, a range of reactions, emotions, and behaviors arise that affect various stakeholders, including employees, vendors and contractors, the market, and clients.
Within the merged company, there is a sense of urgency to ensure the integration drivers are achieved and investors realize deal synergies. Typically, this includes unifying products and solutions in the market with the ability to upsell and cross-sell, becoming revenue accretive in a short period of time, and achieving cost-reducing synergies. Accomplishing integration drivers also requires that the company protect the client base, ensure business continuity, and integrate processes and systems.
Equally important is creating a unified company identity with a shared mission and culture. This is because 80% of M&A integration problems relate to cultural issues.
Our Approach to HR Integration Management
We recommend that the combined company establish HR as not only a function but also a strategic business partner. XPM2 Partners offers HR expertise that helps companies identify and manage critical integration activities, including
- Developing vision and mission statements that are achievable and relevant.
- Facilitating cultural integration, addressing shared values that influence and impact behaviors and attitudes.
- Addressing employee fears, apprehensions, attitudes, commitment, and trust.
- Creating programs that improve employee morale, buy-in, and culture.
- Integrating employees into the combined and/or new entity.
Examples of HR Integration Management
Our HR consultants consist of C-Level executives who have either directly managed HR functions and/or led large organizations through significant M&A activity. Examples our HR consultants have managed are noted below.
- Facilitate development and rollout of vision, mission, and code of ethics.
- Serve as senior manager/executive of HR for mid-cap organizations of up to $300M revenue and 250 employees.
- Provide executive coaching, working with top management to lead and accelerate organizational goals and objectives.
- Facilitate organizational structure and design as well as hiring plan.
- Develop talent retention and incentive programs.
- Produce monthly employee communication.
- Develop OSHA- and FMLA-compliant internal job descriptions, market-based salary band analysis, and implementation plan—conveying expectations and career path opportunities to employees.
- Develop HR policies and employee handbooks.
- Develop external job descriptions for recruiting and hiring.
- Assist in recruitment and hiring process.
- Develop performance management plans.
- Create flexible mentorship programs covering new hire onboarding, career progression, leadership development, and topical subjects.
- Develop HR policies and employee handbooks.
- Assist in recruitment and hiring process.
- Provide selected outplacement support for employees affected by right-sizing efforts (career coaching, résumé composition, LinkedIn optimization, job search techniques, and other career documents such as bios and case studies).
- Conduct employee surveys using off-the-shelf technology.
- Create and manage training academy, including and course certifications.
