An announced merger has long-service employees in this retail organization worried about their future in the new company. Productivity is down, and customer satisfaction is at an all time low.

• What is the rationale for the merger? Would the current organization survive without merging?
• Has this rationale and reality been shared with employees?
• What will employees gain in the merged organization? What will they be giving up?
• What attempts have been made to acknowledge the employees' fears and resistance to change, to assist them in navigating the personal dynamics of change?
• How is the organization helping employees gain new skills and confidence to enable them to succeed in the merged organization?
• Do employees understand their own power in this situation? That each employee has a choice?
• Has the organization clearly described the acceptable levels of productivity and customer service during the transition, established ways to measure these levels, and established rewards and/or consequences for the measured results.