| | JULY 2023MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM9and in compliance with local labor and legal requirements and processes, taking also cultural differences into account. Acknowledging complexity is key. HR teams should overinvest in preparation and secure the necessary resources and advise to support them in this journey. Closing the acquisition is not the end. It is just the beginning of the integration phase of the planned activities. The impact of changes on parts of the organization is different and can happen at different times. It is important to define and communicate a bold joint ambition for the combined companies that can generate excitement, inspire deep commitment of people to work together with a growth mindset that is driving openness to change and seeking opportunities to unlock the full potential of people and reinforce an integrated vision of value creation. Aligned leaders that model and inspire employees on shared values are essential to a successful acquisition. HR plays a pivotal role in encouraging leaders to drive a proactive cultural integration, highlighting and communicating a cultural vision that identifies similarities, as well as differences early in the acquisition process through light culture surveys and management interviews. Celebrating and emphasizing the culture ambition, through storytelling, involving people and facilitating conversations will increase awareness of the desired behaviors around strong values that drive effective engagement at all levels of the organization. HR plays a pivotal role in encouraging leaders to drive a proactive cultural integration, highlighting and communicating a cultural vision that identifies similarities, as well as differences early in the acquisition process through light culture surveys and management interviews
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