After the merger announcement, most communications tend to be 99 percent content-free. They consist primarily of hype and promotion. There are always more questions than answers. Imagine you have acquired 10,000 employees. Assume they feel relatively secure and spend only 30 minutes a day wondering, speculating and trading gossip with others about their future.
Communication is a stabilizer.
It keeps people focused and energized rather than confused and perplexed. Post-deal communication should focus on securing their understanding and acceptance. Using focus groups and interviews, they identified the needs, concerns and interests of these stakeholders. This information was the basis of an aggressive communications plan. Communicate consistent messages continuously, repetitively and through multiple channels.