Regardless of which side of an acquisition your company is on, employees will have several questions. The below list should serve as a starting point and guide, but it’s not enough to simply consider what employees may ask.

Prior to discussing the acquisition with employees, key stakeholders from both businesses should be in agreement on answers so that you’re representing a unified force. While most questions apply to both sides of the acquisition, answers may vary (e.g. regarding key reasons for the decision).

• What are the key reasons for this decision?
• How long has this been in the works?
• When is the acquisition official?
• Why did you choose <other company name>?
• Is my job secure?
• Is anyone leaving?
• Will my compensation change?
• Will my benefits change?
• How will I benefit?
• Are we moving locations?
• Will my office/desk move?
• How will our <customers/clients/vendors> be impacted? Who is responsible for telling them? How and when will this be done?
• How will the responsibilities and expectations for my role change?
• How will we maintain our standards of <core company standards>?
• Will processes change? If so, what and how?
• Will I need to work with new technology? If so, what’s the process and timeline for onboarding?
• How will our teams be integrated?
• Who will I report to?
• Will I experience increased oversight?

Stay ahead of internal chatter by scheduling a company-wide meeting to make the announcement and encourage live Q&A. Depending on the size and structure of your organization, you may want to inform select individuals immediately before the team meeting. This way, they won’t feel blindsided, can help mitigate questions and concerns, and can advocate for the transition.

Preparation is key. Your readiness and ability to answer questions will directly impact employee confidence and could even prompt them to look elsewhere for employment if they sense uncertainty.