HR specialist Kelly Bater explains how employee data, TUPE, furlough, hybrid working, staff communication, culture, and retention can protect or damage an acquisition after completion.
Listen to the EpisodeEpisode 204 | Runtime: 29:07 | Audio Episode
Hear the full discussion on HR due diligence, employee risk, TUPE communication, post acquisition integration, and why people can make or break a business acquisition.
Episode
204
Runtime
29:07
Topic
HR due diligence in acquisitions
Format
Expert interview with Kelly Bater
Three people-related acquisition lessons for buyers who want to protect value before and after completion.
Employee contracts, salaries, benefits, notice periods, policies, procedures, disciplinary history, visa status, and working arrangements need to be reviewed before the deal closes.
When employees transfer into new ownership, clear communication matters. Poor consultation, weak messaging, or remote group briefings can damage trust before integration has started.
Long notice periods, key person dependency, disengaged staff, weak performance management, and cultural misalignment can turn a good acquisition on paper into a costly operational problem.
In this episode, Jonathan Jay speaks with HR specialist Kelly Bater about the people side of buying a business. The conversation starts with what changed during the pandemic, including furlough, remote working, missing employee documentation, and the challenge of acquiring a company when staff are dispersed or working under temporary arrangements.
Kelly explains why buyers need proper HR due diligence before completion. That means collecting and reviewing employee contracts, terms and conditions, policies, benefits, salaries, notice periods, work visa information, disciplinary issues, and any future cost obligations. The episode also covers the risk of assuming staff matters can be handled informally, including a real example where one poorly handled redundancy created a legal claim.
The discussion then moves into post acquisition integration, culture, hybrid working, flexible working, performance monitoring, four day week trials, unlimited holiday policies, and staff retention. The central lesson is clear: buyers often focus on financials and deal structure, but the people inside the business determine whether the acquisition can operate, integrate, and grow.
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