Talent flight: Overlooked risks during M&A

Skilled, experienced people have plenty of opportunities in today’s labor market, and replacing those who depart may cost more and take longer than ever before. That’s why the flight of technical and functional talent can significantly reduce the value of an acquisition — a company-wide memo and town hall will not be enough to keep them on board.

Most acquirers seem to understand the importance of a target's employees. But many dealmakers focus keenly on retaining top executives, overlooking the technical and functional talent who keep the business humming. This can result in the loss of hard-to-replace people at each step of the acquisition, from announcement and closing through integration.

We recommend a holistic approach to retention that eases flight risks upon announcement; secures talent, skills, experience, and internal know-how for up to two years after the close; and includes a compelling long-term employee value proposition during integration.

In the report below you can read more about this subject, and get insight into how your company can secure a sophisticated retention strategy that will make sure you don't lose valuable talent.