Culture change after a merger: where to start
Mergers often succeed on paper and struggle in practice. The gap is usually culture.
When two organisations merge, leaders focus on structure, systems and finances. Culture is often left to sort itself out. It rarely does.
People from each side bring different habits: how decisions are made, how meetings run, how mistakes are handled. When these clash, trust drops and good people leave.
Common culture problems after a merger
Where to start
Culture is often left to sort itself out. It rarely does.
Look at informal networks
Every organisation has informal influencers that people trust and follow. Identifying them on both sides, and involving them early, helps new ways of working spread.
Measure progress
A short culture survey at the start, then every six months, shows whether the two groups are coming together. Look at trust, clarity and intent to stay.
Common culture problems after a merger
- "Us and them" language between the two groups
- Confusion about who decides what
- Different standards for quality, speed or safety
- Loss of key people from the acquired organisation
Where to start
- Understand both cultures before you change either. Ask people how work really gets done.
- Agree a small number of shared behaviours, such as how decisions are made and communicated.
- Mix teams on real projects early.
- Make sure leaders from both sides are visible and model the new behaviours.
- Communicate often, even when there is nothing new to say.
Key points
- Culture differences are a common reason mergers struggle.
- Understand both cultures before changing either.
- Involve trusted informal influencers from both sides early.
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