Post Merger Integration
Introduction to the PMI Roadmap
In the following, an Integration Roadmap based on the major Steps of a Business Integration following a sequential time order (over a year) is used as a base.
The used roadmap works for an average mid to larger size Integration; this means 800 to 10,000 employees that are acquired. In a smaller transaction the timeframes can be shorter.
For each Phase of the Integration Roadmap, you will find a brief explanation and the corresponding Change Management Actions and Measures that are appropriate in that period.
Why is CM so important in PMI’s?
- The success of a PMI stands and falls with the active support of the key players. Change Management works on getting their buy in.
- Profound changes in a PMI cause irritations, uncertainty and fears. These then lead to emotion, resistance, unwillingness and conflicts.
- Change Management focuses on arising emotions. It’s the emotions that are often not or too little considered in change intents.
- Making sure that people going through a PMI can process and cope with the changes on an individual, group and organizational level.
- In a PMI the organization, teams and people need to deal with a huge complexity and time pressure. Time pressure naturally leads to resistance. The natural human tendency to have a reduced perception of actual complexity, causes ongoing misunderstandings and frustrations in integrations.
A PMI causes Stress on 3 Levels
1. Individual
Life derails, lose control of life, company dissolves, fear for one’s existence, personal plans/expectations not valid anymore, insecurity, concerns, loss of focus and capacity to act, confusion, defensiveness, emotionality, denial, paralysis, need to position oneself
2. Group/Team
Unclear worth to new organization, teams are broken up, structures are breaking, team focus declining, stress level rising, conflict level rising, co-operation level declining, decreased decision making, future hierarchies unclear.
3. Organization
Disorientation – old organization does not count anymore, not yet arrived in the new organization, standing in old organization vs. standing in new organization, insider/outsider question, cut interfaces/processes, upcoming organizational changes, new systems and procedures, new organizational setup
Roadmap for Transaction and Integration in a Merger and Acquisition
Pages: 1 2