Communication key to avoiding employer brand uncertainty when merging

Mergers and acquisitions pose a unique task to HR.

Recently Betfair and Paddy Power merged at a cost of £5 billion, with a combined staff total that now exceeds 7,000. Another big merger this year was BT’s £12.5million acquisition of EE, which was approved by Ofcom last month.  

The employer brand will alter, resulting in staff wondering if their job is guaranteed. If it is, the stresses of new locations or new skills, amongst others, come to the fore.

Speaking to HR Grapevine, John Robinson, Commercial Director, Cygnus Resourcing, says: “Mergers and acquisitions place a unique kind of pressure on the relationship between employers and their employees.  At best, a merger signifies a likely period of change and business transformation but more than that, it is very likely to kick off a period of perceived uncertainty and instability for an employer brand.