• Losing performance momentum resulting from uncertainty and distraction
• Spreading rumors that distract others from focusing on their jobs (typically in the absence of communication from the company)
• Resigning to seek the certainty of a new job

According to research, the failure rate for M&A can be as high as 90 percent. Although the change may have clear financial benefits, how employees feel and react has the potential to make or break the transaction. It is dangerous for leaders to assume their people will feel grateful to have survived the change and kept their jobs, especially if they mistrust management and are angry with how the company treated them and their colleagues. 

Before the reorganization is consummated, wise leaders will develop:

• Communication strategies to determine what leaders and supervisors say and how to say it. Telling employees with transparency and honesty as much as possible about the reasons for the change and how it will impact them will help employees buy in and move forward positively.
• Culture assessments and plans for building the reorganized company’s culture. Identifying similarities and differences, as well as strengths and weaknesses, between the old and new organization will speed up the transition.

Once the shape of the reorganized company is established, it’s time to deal with:

• Gaps in the new organization, by providing career expertise to help in the redeployment of employees to minimize the need for additional recruiting to fill roles that are critical to the new company’s success.
• Overlaps between duplicated roles, by providing career transition coaching (outplacement) for people who do not fit the new company, to ease their transition into new roles, as well as minimize disruption to the business.
• Alignment of people with strategy, by creating and implementing professional development that leads to better employee engagement and retention, addressing the 4 R’s (Relevance, Relationships, Recognition, and Reputation), as well as the 5th R (Career Resilience) to achieve success in times of change.

Act early and decisively, with clear and honest communication, to demonstrate to your people that they are important to the company’s success and minimize the loss of talented individuals key to the future of the new organization. Get help from an organization experienced in planning and operationalizing people change strategies. Sophisticated outplacement and development tools, coaching, and support will enable leaders to move from putting out organizational fires to instead focus on building the new organization.

Additional posts from Brian Hinchcliffe:

5 Ways to Avoid Age Discrimination

7 Considerations for a Post-Pandemic Job Search

It’s Summer -Where Did Everybody Go?

Transforming Career Success

5 Reasons to be Open to Relocation

6 Holiday Job Search Mythbusters

Don’t slow down -capitalize on holiday networking opportunities to build your job search momentum. Challenge conventional wisdom, and you might find the reality is quite different from the myth! Here are six reasons to accelerate your job search during the holidays.

Competition decreases

The funny thing about myths is that lots of people believe them. And the Holiday Job Search Myth is no exception. If other job seekers back off from their job search believing that nobody is hiring, this translates to less competition, which is great news for you! Intensify your search and take advantage of the fact that others have slowed down their efforts and made an early start on holiday traditions -crafts, baking, decorating, and the proverbial eggnog sipping.

Business travel slows down

One benefit of being a job seeker is that you don’t have to fight airport crowds and post-pandemic airline delays doing yet another business trip. And neither are busy executives. Anyone who was traveling this year is back in town and may be available to meet for informational interviews and give you some AIR -advice, information, and referrals.

People are more receptive

‘Tis the season to be jolly! Holiday parties with family, friends, and industry associations are coming back post-pandemic, giving you opportunities to network. And, decision makers, like everyone else, are in the holiday mood and more accessible. What’s more, if you play your cards right, you might be invited to the company’s holiday party where you can meet other senior execs for more advice and information.

Budgets drive decisions

No budget approval, no job! When budgets expire at the end of the year, no manager wants to go to their boss and ask for approval to hire next year because they didn’t get the position filled this year. They need to get that vacancy filled in a hurry! Target that decision maker and show them you are the talented person they have been looking for. It’ll solve their problem -and yours!

Recruiters want their commissions

If there’s an executive recruiter involved, rest assured they want to maximize their year-end commission. And they don’t get paid unless they find the successful applicant (aka you!) before the end of the year. They will do everything in their power to fill the job. And you’re well qualified, experienced, and prepared, so why shouldn’t it be you in that position?

Maintain your momentum

Winning that great job does not happen overnight. You must work your job search diligently and persistently. Maintaining momentum is key. If the competition has decided that celebrating and shopping are more important than job seeking, they have dropped back to the end of the line. So, if you haven’t already won the job, you’re at the front of the line come the beginning of January! Ready, willing, and able!

So, work to clarify your distinct value proposition. Solve the business problem that keeps the hiring manager awake at night. Have a clear personal brand message so you stand out and position yourself for your next role. Become effective and impassioned in selling a product you know best -YOU!

1. Take a long view on your career. What is the next step after this job? Will it help your career or harm it? Sometimes it is worth taking a risk to give your career a boost. A higher-level job in a smaller company can help you jump to the next level to set you up for the bigger job in a larger company a little further down the road. Or you may like the smaller company more than you expected and decide to stay on to grow with the company.
2. Relocation does not have to be forever. Most companies these days are neither looking for lifetime loyalty from you nor willing to give it to you. A three-to-five-year commitment may be all they’re asking -and all they’re willing to give. So, the move does not have to be permanent. Maybe you and your family would enjoy -and benefit from -a few years in a new state or country. If you are not sure whether you want to move permanently, don’t be in a hurry to sell up -renting is always an option, at least in the short term.
3. You may not have to relocate. First, hear the recruiter out to find out if the position fits your interests and skills. The further you go through the selection process the greater will be your interest in the role and the company’s interest in you. This will give you increased leverage to negotiate, among other factors, whether you need to relocate or can do the job remotely. One of the few silver linings on the COVID cloud has been the recognition that many jobs can be done remotely some or all the time, reducing relocation and commercial real estate expenses.
4. 50 percent of something is better than 100 percent of nothing. If you’re in a specialized career field where opportunities are not found everywhere, your choice may be to relocate and work or stay put and stay unemployed. As disruptive as relocation may be to you and your family, you need to weigh that against the disruption caused by limited or no income.
5. Positivity counts for a lot. Shortly after my family and I relocated internationally, we met a family that had relocated within the same state. They were having more trouble adjusting to the move than we were -the reason: the parents did not want to move and it rubbed off on the kids. If you decide to relocate, involve the family in the decision-making and be committed to the move -otherwise you and your family will be miserable.

Clearly, relocation is not for everyone at every stage of life. But it should not be dismissed out of hand, either. Consider the opportunity you have been offered and look at the whole picture. Maybe, just maybe, it might work out after all.

Few of us consciously plan our careers. Most tend to be reactive, making the best decision at the time based on the available information, when a career opportunity presents itself. Even if we have planned out our career path, we have most likely been knocked off course at some point because of a life event or job possibility that arose unexpectedly.

Whether we are at the beginning of our careers, or further along, there is no time like the present to consider what career success means for us. It is the key issue for everyone in the workforce. It applies regardless of the role we hold, our level in the organization, or the industry we are in. And being able to manage our career trajectory is critical whether we are an employee, contractor, consultant, or self-employed. Take the initiative to manage your career, or it will happen anyway, by default.

To find that next great opportunity, your career success sweet spot is at the intersection of:

Your Interests -What do you like to do? It is much easier to sustain strong performance doing something you enjoy doing.

AND

Your Skills -What are you good at? It is much easier to sustain strong performance doing something you do well.

AND

Market Needs – What are companies looking for? It is much easier to make a living if someone is willing to pay you to do what you like and are good at.

Career success is all about sustaining your role now and into the future. Your employability comes from making sure your personal goals align with organizational goals. It will be tough to land the right job now or in the future unless you can answer both these questions:

• What is your edge?

You need to be able to differentiate and articulate your career brand from others in the marketplace.

• Is it sustainable?

There may be a need for what you do in the short term, but it is important you try to determine if that need will exist in the future, as technology develops and skillsets morph and merge.

If you have been forced to consider your future because an organizational decision that has left you out of work, take full advantage of any outplacement services provided by your former employer. If you have chosen to initiate a career change because you are dissatisfied with the way your career is evolving, seek out advice from a small group of knowledgeable and wise mentors. Career success comes from reflection and action, as well as guidance and support through a structured process.

One thing that has mystified me since moving to the US is where everybody goes during the summer. No, I’m not looking for travel tips. I mean, how is it that so many people disappear, when Americans get so little vacation and are so bad at taking time off, compared with the rest of the world? This mystery aside, summer is a great time for job seekers, as counter-intuitive as this seems. Here are some reasons why:

1. Calendars have more openings. Decision makers may have more time available to meet with you -tax season is over and the busy end-of-year holiday period has not yet begun. With some employees on summer vacation, companies have fewer scheduled events that tie up people.
2. Be creative and flexible. Even though hiring managers may have fewer work commitments over the summer, they are likely to have more family commitments that will take them out of the office. Be flexible in scheduling to meet with them, and suggest creative ways to catch up with them out of the office or virtually.
3. Take time to network. With many people vaccinated, 2021 is likely to see the return of some summer parties and social events that will give you a chance to forge relationships in informal settings. But, after that barbecue or party is over, you need to reach out to connect on LinkedIn, and/or follow up and schedule a meeting with the executive you met.
4. Work does not stop. The business has to keep running, even though there are people on vacation over the summer. And many businesses are ramping up after the dramatic disruption caused by the pandemic. This might open up temporary opportunities, which may lead to permanent positions.
5. Fewer distractions, easier onboarding. With fewer work distractions over the summer and more companies returning to the office in the wake of the pandemic, the interview process can be accelerated. Then, when it comes time to hire, the onboarding process can also be speeded up, with more time to get acclimated before things become busier. As well, if relocation is involved, families have time to get settled and kids will start the school year in the new location with everybody else.

The bottom line is that you need to continue your job search, regardless of the time of year. If you feel “nothing is happening” that may be a sign you need to do something differently. Each season has its challenges, but, if you are smart about it, you can find ways to make the most of every season.

1. Continuing to work remotely. Now that we have proven that many jobs can be done remotely, there will be pressure for remote work options to continue, at least some of the time. For employees, the benefits of living in a different location from their employer may be hard to reverse. Remote locations can help with housing costs and provide flexibility to care for family, to name the obvious. For some employers, the ability to reduce commercial real estate costs are already being calculated. A hybrid work model is likely for many that blends some days in the workplace and some days remote each week.
2. Having clear KPIs. Some roles lend themselves to remote work, such as knowledge work and tech jobs. Key to success is having appropriate KPIs to ensure that the work is getting done. Companies that outsourced their work figured that one out decades ago. The pandemic experience demonstrated that it is possible to work from home effectively, provided we have clear communication and transparent expectations.
3. Remaining relevant. COVID-19 shone a bright light on some work that simply was not needed. If you have clear KPIs, you do not need a middle manager watching you work. In fact, some of the meetings that are part of office life can now be done more efficiently via video, or even be eliminated. Be sure to set clear boundaries, so you and your employer know when the workday starts and finishes, ensuring you switch on and off appropriately.
4. Hiring, training, and leading teams. It will take some time to figure out how to manage in a hybrid work model. For example, the logistics of conducting a meeting with some people in the room and others online may require additional technology, as well as new leadership skills. More important, will be learning how to build cohesive teams with a hybrid workforce.
5. Efficient networking and sales. The necessity for online rather than in-person meetings during the pandemic has enabled greater efficiency. Simply put, you can meet with multiple people online in the same amount of time it takes to travel to and from an in-person meeting. Online tools also enable you to network anywhere, not just in your local area. Post-pandemic, it is likely that networking, like work, will also be hybrid -a mix of online and in-person, dictated by the context of the meeting and the location of the participants.
6. Finding new ways to make and save money. If you are in a revenue-generation role, it will be particularly important to demonstrate how you have made and preserved money for your employer -both through traditional and innovative means. But prospective employers will be interested in any employee who can show how they have taken the initiative to introduce cost-savings, however modest, by changing a process or introducing a new tool.
7. Tolerance for ambiguity and complexity. The world of work has been growing more ambiguous and complex in recent decades, driven by exponential growth of technology. That uncertainty has accelerated recently as the pandemic has forced the abandonment of accepted norms, at least temporarily. With the beginning of the return to social normality, some familiar work practices have been resumed, but other pandemic-driven efficiencies, such as the ongoing need to minimize expenses and hybridization of work models, will be part of the new normal. Amid intensifying ambiguity and complexity, demonstrating how you solve problems, without precedent to guide you, will be expected.

New jobs that mash-up disparate functional specialties with emerging disciplines will continue to emerge as technological change continues apace. Keep abreast of the soft skills that the World Economic Forum identifies as essential to remaining employable in the age of AI. Instead of looking for that traditional job, you will prosper by being the person who seeks out and solves business problems. Increase your networking with decision makers -they may not know they need you until they meet you and discover what you can do for them.