Survival Tips to Minimize IT Disruptions During a Merger

Acquisitions are never easy. When it comes to technology, seemingly ordinary processes can become troublingly complex. To avoid major disruptions, here are a few strategies your IT team should employ: 

1. Mitigate Fear with Transparency.
   The employee rumor mill a terrible thing. Avoid developing an atmosphere of secrecy by being as transparent as possible about the process with all employees. When it comes to your IT team, be prepared to communicate a clear plan (or develop one) as soon as one exists. This will go a long way towards keeping morale high and production steady. 
   
2. Be Proactive with Compatibility Plans.
   System compatibility is one thing. Governance compatibility within your industry sector is another. Be proactive and take early measures to suss out potential issues between your systems and the processes of the other organization. When it comes to sensitive customer and financial data, there is no room for error. 
   
3. Get Secure. Really Secure. 
   Merging data systems - or merely adding additional ones due to an acquisition - opens organizations up to the possibility of security exposures. Secure any and all open ports and ensure there are no unsecured backdoors to avoid risks of post-acquisition data breaches.
   
4. Get Clear On What Systems to Keep (and Which ones to Ditch)
   One of the more delicate aspects of the acquisition standpoint is employee retention. Take time to carefully evaluate each internal system and internal forces rallying behind them. Make informed decisions about which processes and systems will continue to exist and which ones will be phased out. Again, transparency is key to avoid (or at least make an effort to decrease) disgruntled employees and a hit to overall team morale.
     
5. Sabotage: Consider the Real Possibility.
   For employees, mergers & acquisitions typically leave them facing fears of job security and concerns about their future. If an employee feels wronged by his or her employer and suspects his role is being terminated, it opens up the rare but very real likelihood of sabotage. It can be as simple as acts of vandalism or pranks, or as complex as computer revenge. High-risk activities in your organization should be closely monitored to reduce the possibility of malicious behavior. While you can't prevent all forms of sabotage, you can be proactive by establishing company policies that address this silent disapproval. In the end, open lines of communication, fair treatment and employee assistance programs go a long way towards creative a positive professional environment and reducing the risk of nefarious acts.