It is Friday evening, and your vice president just left a voice message announcing the merger of your company with another.
Based on some earlier rumors, you have been anticipating the news but did not think it would come so soon. You are in shock
and wondering whether you will survive the process. A reorganization might make sense for the company from a business point
of view, but for you it brings an array of unforeseen concerns, including fear of future layoffs. Don't panic. You are not
alone in your worries. Being concerned about the news of a merger is entirely normal. But consider the fact that change may
bring new opportunities if you are able to endure it.
Take control
The timing of your company's reorganization or merger may be out of your control, but the more immediate challenge for you
is to do things that are in your control. The more information you gather about the merger and the opportunities or threats it brings, the easier
it will be to make wise career decisions.
Surviving a merger
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There is no one right way to cope with the worries you are facing. Finding a way that suits your needs is most important.
Bottling things up inside may make the situation harder to deal with. Instead, it may be helpful to do things that allow you
to release the stress, anxiety or anger you may be feeling. This may make it easier to manage your present problem. There
are a number of things you can do to cope:
Speak to someone you trust. You may find it helpful to talk to a friend, family member, manager or colleague. Your family and friends may not know what
is going on or how it will affect your job in the short and long term, but reaching out to them may at least help you feel
better. It can be a relief to share your thoughts with someone at your company, and it may be possible to manage your problem
together as they too are affected by the situation. The best you can do is give yourself every opportunity to enhance your
judgment by working with a team so that more than one mind is involved.
Do not act in haste. Gather more information and wait for everything you need to know about the merger to surface before you make a decision.
Often, we make decisions based on information that is incomplete and even incorrect. Identify everything you have a reasonable
degree of control over. Focus on those areas. Eventually, you'll begin to divide every activity you perform into two phases:
planning and execution. The increased efficiency and control over your time in such a situation will be very satisfying in
the long run.
Rework your perception. Do not fall prey to a generic perception of the merger. In fact, it could be beneficial for your career. The combined force
of the merged companies and the additional product line may actually help you grow faster. If events leading up to the merger
seem blown out of proportion, try to develop a new perspective on your overall performance. Determine if a lack of attention
or activity is causing more problems than would result from the merger itself. Concentrate on your current job responsibilities.
A good worker is often retained and rewarded.
