Imagine taking the contents of a grocery bag and dumping it upside down in
your refrigerator, letting things settle where they fall instead of neatly putting them away.
The mess inside the fridge is what it can feel like during a global M&A, as
employees and leaders alike must navigate the challenges of combining the people and processes—notably, HR and payroll—of two separate organizations.
If you’re part of a multinational, technology and/or private company, you should probably buckle up: J.P. Morgan reported record-breaking M&A
activity in 2021—and suggests there are plenty of trends driving more mergers and acquisitions in 2022.
The impact of M&A on global payroll and human resources
Your executive office is focused on the big picture trajectory of the organization.
Meanwhile, the brunt of operational change falls on the people within the
organization. Specifically, it’s often payroll and human resources that
redefine their processes and procedures in the midst of a major upheaval.
If you fail, and the road gets too bumpy, great talent jumps ship. But if you
succeed, you contribute meaningfully to a successful M&A, helping your
business to take advantage of opportunities like:
- Expanding technology
- Talent and capability acquisition
- Sustainability and social governance priorities
Your payroll and human resource staff need the right information to make key
decisions regarding evolving talent needs. They’ll be evaluating placement and
promotions, as well as identifying opportunities to redefine your global
talent pool—including which regions to target for new employees.
Additionally, these departments will be working diligently to integrate
technologies and combine workflows, while maintaining accuracy and efficiency.
The administrative side of payroll mergers and acquisitions can be intense,
but we have a few tips to help you keep your head above water.
4 critical success factors for payroll during mergers and acquisitions
According to Harvard Business Review, M&A success isn’t easy. Somewhere
between 70% - 90% of all M&As fall short of expectations, leaving business
owners wondering what went wrong.
HR and global payroll teams can help set the M&A up for success by focusing on these priorities.
1. Managing the employee experience
We’re all creatures of habit, and when things begin to change around us, it causes stress.
The hard work falls on payroll and human resources to keep employees in the
loop and prepared for disruptive changes. This helps to keep your workforce
intact, engaged and productive.
For example, Netflix focuses on people over formal HR policies, guiding employees through
change with a simple five-word motto: “Act in Netflix’s Best Interest.” This
approach has helped the company to thrive throughout major disruptions,
including digital transformation. In 2013, at the height of their
transformation, stock values tripled, and their subscriber base grew by 29
million.
The solution: Focus on your people. Embrace honest and transparent
communication at all levels. Give your employees a timeline and a set of
realistic expectations to balance the stress of the constant change created by
payroll mergers and acquisitions.
Related content: Payroll & HCM change management: A step-by-step
guide
2. Merging payroll data and analytics
And M&A presents the perfect time to prioritize clean data and comprehensive
systems that connect payroll and human resources together. Achieving a
single, comprehensive view of workforce data is extremely beneficial for
informing strategic decision-making.
Levi Strauss realized the importance of data-driven decisions and made big investments in both AI and data. One use case for the iconic retailer was to better understand when and how to run promotions. The investments paid off—one campaign launched using information gleaned from an AI model wound up driving sales that were five times higher than expected.
According to Levi’s Chief Financial Officer Harmit Singh, “AI gives us
the ability to quickly transform data and facts into action. We’re using
this intelligence alongside our own consumer expertise and judgment to drive
better results.”
The solution: As you integrate a new company into your own,
it’s important to also integrate data from all sources, particularly
workforce data from your HCM with all global payroll operations. Having a
single, global view of workforce data can help inform future growth
decisions for the company.
Related Content: Business questions you can answer with standardized
workforce data
3. Planning and implementation
The key to a successful transition is planning. You need a workable plan
before you start and a solid set of guidelines for navigating the transition
and a post-implementation plan that brings everyone together.
When Lego, the well-known global toy manufacturer, was faced with the
possibility of bankruptcy, it leveraged planning and implementation
to strategically
right the ship. Lego built cross-functional teams to infuse the company with
innovation, transforming its product lines, operations and brand image.
Lego’s executive team and creative operations focused on the external
transformation. But HR and payroll teams reinforced this progress by
redesigning workflows and policies to instill a culture of fun. Every detail—from the hiring process and workforce planning to
global compliance—is centered around Lego core values.
The solution: Take time to plan things out, including
contingencies in order to maintain some order amid the chaos created by
change.
What to consider (current, transition and post-implementation):
- Payroll function and structure
- Legal entity
- Compliance audits
- Change management priorities
- Hiring processes
- Severance processes
- Payroll processing workflows
- Guidelines for concurrent payroll
- Workforce planning
- GDPR compliance
- Employee onboarding
- Tax compliance
- Tax filing
- Local and global compliance risks
- Payment processing
4. Leveraging your partners
Take a hard look at the services you outsource and how your needs will change throughout your M&A. Instead
of trying to control every aspect of the transition, lean on your partners to
provide expertise in their areas.
If you did your due diligence when choosing a global payroll provider, it
should be able to grow with you as your needs change during the M&A process.
Your global payroll provider can:
- Increase your adaptability
- Simplify your workforce transitions
- Lower your global payroll costs
- Manage your compliance risks
- Help you gain global visibility
The best payroll providers are part of your talent team. With deeper skills and a broader range of
experience, these vendors help your company prepare for anything that comes
your way.
If you’re approaching or working through an M&A, we think you’ll like this
article, too: Global workforce considerations for mergers, acquisitions or divestitures
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