Subject: Mergers and collaborative working - worth the effort?

Not sure about worth the effort as don't have any involvement in the big finance / management stuff. But from a worker's perspective having gone through a merger in a large organisation it is the detail that is important to sort out but so often forgotten. Examples include getting everyone on the email / phone lists, knowing who does what, being clear about roles and responsibilities, being told before the press that the merger is happening and why.

Third Sector reports today that 288 posts are being cut from merged Age Concern and Help The Aged. 

Are significant staff cuts to be expected when organisations merge?

Mergers are fine where the benefactors or organisation objects are from same group eg Age Concern and Help the Aged. Another route can be collaborative bidding for items of work, pulling strengths together. In areas of policy such collaborations are in evidence like in the development of CARE proposals, Princess Royal Trust, Crossroads and Care UK have come together.

The case of success is effective communication at different levels of the organisation and like in commercial word have at least a 100 day plan when a merger is announced. The first 100 days need almost a War room like structure where all questions are targeted and the team have the mandate to formulate answers and communicate to the whole organisation.