People are a key element of any organisation. When preparing to merge, acquire or dispose of an organisation it is vital that all aspects relating to human resources are considered and well managed.

Good quality HR management at an early stage in the process can have a considerable impact on how quickly and easily the workforces of merged and acquired organisations settle into a new regime.

Much of our work centres on supporting organisations that are acquiring, disposing of, or merging businesses. We are often involved at an early stage, for example managing the HR aspects of the due diligence process through to ensuring that consultation obligations with employees/ trade unions under TUPE regulations are met.

Our approach
Our experience of assisting organisations to manage the HR aspects of a deal means that you can focus on strategic matters. We can project manage all the issues associated with acquiring or transferring staff and we have access to high quality legal advisers who can support the employment and pensions aspects of the transaction as well as commercial lawyers who can deal with the sale and purchase elements if required.

Whether supporting your existing HR function or providing a dedicated interim service in the absence of such a team, we can ensure that the benefits of the acquisition/disposal are maximised by employees being fairly treated and valued at all stages of the process.

If it is necessary to make reductions to the workforce we will train managers on handling redundancy consultation with sensitivity and understanding and provide a tailor-made outplacement programme to help employees move on with their careers.

Case Study
We worked with an organisation in the food industry, which employed over 600 staff across 10 locations and did not have a central HR resource, to support the disposal of 70% of its operation.
After a successful “transfer of undertakings” we were then retained by the acquiring organisation to advise them on the subsequent restructuring and streamlining of the combined operations.
The next phase of this project was to harmonise conditions of employment and to focus on the creation of the most appropriate cultural identity for the new organisation.

If you would like to talk to us about how we can support your organisation please contact us.