The day that legal merger takes place does not mark the end of the merger process. It can be helpful to maintain your steering group to oversee the process of combining the cultures and working practices of each organisaton as well as to continue dealing with the legal and financial matters arising from merger. Tasks at this stage are likely to focus on:
building beneficiary and other stakeholders' confidence in the merged organisation
integrating policies, procedures and systems, eg. health & safety, databases
embedding working style and culture, eg. hours of work, use of meetings, dress code
delivering any service improvements or cost savings
addressing any issues arising from the transition
To strengthen the effectiveness of new colleagues, you may consider:
- training
- work shadowing
- social events - so staff, trustees & volunteers can meet each other in a less formal setting
Reviewing the merger
Set a date for the steering group to take stock and encourage staff to reflect on how well they are adapting to change. Areas to review include:
- how the process has worked
- its impact on your ability to achieve your objectives
- its effect on the management and functioning of the organisation
- stakeholders' experience since the merger
- the issues requiring further action
