While the vast majority of companies involved in mergers and acquisitions use retention agreements to retain key talent, a new survey by global professional services company Towers Watson shows companies that are more successful at retention begin the process early — identifying people and tactics — and don’t rely solely on money.
The survey, conducted earlier this year, included 180 companies from 19 countries and focused on current retention practices, as well as specific tactics used by those companies that the survey identified as more successful in keeping top talent. The responses revealed the effectiveness of various retention strategies and also confirmed that, while economic uncertainty has slowed the pace of deal making in some parts of the world, acquisitions and divestitures remain a viable growth strategy for many organizations. More than half of the respondents completed between two and 10 acquisitions over the last two years.
