“Create an environment where team members can call out failure points"

Have clear objectives and sight of end state: Every integration should be driven by a crystal-clear vision of the merged entity. The combined executive committee should establish the performance parameters during the transition phase and realign strategy for the new organisation, besides establishing key success metrics.

Drive continuous communication: Communicating the joint value proposition to your employees, clients and other key stakeholders, besides creating a harmonised organisational culture is the most important success parameter. Continuous communication will keep the organisation focused on productivity, promote cultural alignment, help talent retention, and help manage speculation effectively.

Bring both sides on to a common platform: Launch a platform with a view to bring teams closer under a single umbrella to build upon key winning attributes such as putting the client at the centre of everything you do, working in collaboration, and adapting to a changing environment.

Regular check-points and realigning towards a common platform: Approach the integration as any other large-scale customer project, and divide into distinct, measurable phases with defined milestones. This will not only ensure timely advancement of integration goals, but also create an environment where team members are not hesitant to call out failure points if phase-specific goals are not met. 

Celebrate smaller successes and keep moving towards the larger ones: Integration projects can be very long, and quite cumbersome. To ensure that the team stays motivated and energised, celebrate all the big and small achievements throughout the integration journey. This will help bring in the desired support required to make the entire project a great success.