Acquisition communications can help successfully engage your acquired employees and integrate them into your company. They’ll have plenty of questions as soon as the change is announced, but in most cases you won’t be able to give them access to your intranet until the transaction closes.
That’s why we recommend finding alternative ways to communicate before the deal closes, such as a password-protected external site for your soon-to-be employees. We’ve been able to build these sites very quickly to provide a go-to source for information regarding the transaction and update employees with new information as it becomes available.
Here are five reasons to begin your acquisition communications early:
Nature hates a vacuum. If you’re not giving employees answers to their many questions, the rumor mill will fill in the blanks for you. It’s human nature to assume the worst, so it’s important to give conveying employees accurate information as soon as possible. It’s also helpful to offer an opportunity to submit questions they don’t see listed on the FAQ.
The time between the announcement of an acquisition and the closing is way too long to keep employees in limbo. Give them a site that provides background on the acquiring company and its leadership, as well as information about what’s changing and what isn’t. There will be many details that have not yet been decided, but share what you do know.
Not every acquired employee will automatically assume that they’ll want to stay with the acquiring company. Acquisition communications help them understand the reasons this will be good for their careers, their livelihoods, and possibly their work-life balance. The onus is on the acquiring company to engage conveyed employees in the excitement for the future.
Use acquisition communications to engage the acquired employees in the vision of the company they’ll be joining. Help them get to know the leadership team and be inspired by their plans for moving the company forward. Show how this company is making positive contributions to the world. And help them see how their individual job roles will contribute to the company’s vision.
Change is scary, even if it’s a positive change. Help employees feel less uncertainty by giving them as many details as you can. When there will be some negative impact, our research suggests employees strongly prefer to know the bad news, rather than be kept in the dark. Offering straightforward acquisition communications can help build trust — which builds employee engagement.
