A Team Level Analysis Of Mergers: The Impact Of Restructuring And Managerial Support On Role Stressors And Work-Life Outcomes
Abstract
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) may negatively impact employees’ work role experiences. When a merger occurs, typically positions are consolidated and work groups are restructured. These types of organizational restructuring may lead to higher workloads and changes in responsibilities and duties, likely leading to an increase in role ambiguity, role overload and role conflict. These stressors would be expected to influence work-life outcomes such as work-to-nonwork conflict, schedule flexibility and stress. It is also expected that the degree to which there is managerial support (both instrumental and emotional) would affect role overload and role ambiguity, which in turn will influence stress and work-life outcomes. It is surprising that given the detrimental outcomes that mergers have on stressors in the workplace, that there has been very limited research on the impact of a merger on work-life outcomes. Implications for organizations are that organizations might consider coaching managers on how to help employees manage an increased workload and how to provide the emotional and instrumental support needed to reduce ambiguity in terms of what is expected in a post merger environment.
