Despite significant turmoil in the credit and stock markets globally, M&A activity is here to stay. While the continuing economic challenges may ultimately affect the timing and types of deals – divestitures, spin-offs, joint-ventures, distress sales and hostile bids, for instance – deal activity is expected to continue. In addition, many organizations today are undergoing corporate restructurings that present many of the same challenges as transactions like mergers and acquisitions.

In this difficult environment, it is more important than ever for businesses to achieve the strategic, operational and financial objectives they expect from their deals. Historically, deals have often failed to meet these objectives due to insufficient attention paid to the human capital aspects. According to global research conducted by Marsh, Mercer, Kroll and and the Economist Intelligence Unit, business leaders ranked people integration issues and organizational culture differences as the two most significant challenges in their most recent transactions.

HR’s critical role in deal success

This makes the role of HR absolutely critical to deal success. HR leaders must ensure that sufficient attention is given to human capital risks and opportunities, which typically have significant financial implications. While HR increasingly has a seat at the deal table, many organizations still fail to take advantage of HR’s insights and experiences to manage the financial operational, customer and other implications of human capital. Often, HR expertise is brought in only after the transaction is well under way and the fundamentals of the deal are fixed.

Mercer knows from its global experiences that HR can make the greatest contribution to deal success – especially in these challenging times – by serving as both the strategic and tactical adviser to the deal team on all people aspects of the deal.

About our workshops

Mercer M&A Ready™ workshops are designed specifically to help HR professionals get ready for the challenge of deal work – or a restructuring effort. In an intense, practical learning environment, we provide strategic focus, proven processes and valuable tools. Our workshops deliver business, transaction and HR knowledge that allows the HR professional to return to the deal table with confidence and a greater ability to contribute.

We offer two types of workshops.

• Two-day workshops. Our two-day workshops, conducted in locations around the world, cover each deal phase from strategy and planning through to extended integration, describing the critical processes and HR program management approaches specific to complex transactions. Download our workshop brochure at right for a full description of the workshop content.
  
  
• Customized workshops. Our customized workshops are for organizations that prefer a more tailored approach. These can be conducted in local languages, with country-specific or global material. These workshops can be customized to the client’s specific deal approach, as a kickoff for the HR team on a specific deal or to address specific deal-related topics in depth.

Mercer M&A Ready™ workshop facilitators are seasoned Mercer professionals with hands-on deal experience as part of Mercer’s global M&A consulting business. 

Who should attend

Mercer M&A Ready™ workshops are intended for HR and other professionals who are responsible for identifying and managing the “people” issues vital to a successful M&A transaction. As a result of the workshops, these individuals are better equipped to help their organizations generate better short- and long-term results for employees, customers and shareholders alike.

Mercer M&A Ready™ workshops are highly interactive, engaging participants with practical tools and real-life experiences rather than theoretical models. As part of the workshop, participants will be provided helpful reference materials and sample templates.

2009 schedule of Mercer M&A Ready™ workshops

Below is the 2009 schedule for Mercer M&A Ready™ workshops. You can register or pre-register for any of them now.

2010 schedule of Mercer M&A Ready™ workshops

Below is the 2010 schedule for Mercer M&A Ready™ workshops. You can pre-register for any of them now.