Acquisition washing
Discussion
I say acquisition washing because it's how I see this.
Let me explain.
I work for a UK Business who got acquired last year by a bigger global company.
Im an Architect and these have multiple disciplines so Some of this is going to be a big vague and complicated so I apologise.
Acquiring company had its same role as most companies do for my role, having worked in multiple industries and gone through acquisitions I've not been completely overawed or submissive to the people doing the same role as me, maybe my age now but I don't rate any of the abilities.
What's happened is they want the acquiring organisation to adopt our working practices (Agile) for the delivery and support. I've been doing this (Stretched to my limits) for the last three years at this org, I've felt I did enough to get recognised maybe with a bit of a lead role getting in new resources but haven't been. As an example a guy doing the same role as me who isn't too bad is leaving so was asked to oversee and get him handing over and working in our ways of working.
Now in my org we have a guy who plays a dotted line type role who is a "lead" architect who moved into a role in the acquiring company pulling in his structure, who has just said he is now moving on in a few months. Coupled with this we have a new CTO who has been in for a couple of months who seems to be rather layered from folk like me.
The crux of this is that what they are doing is putting these acquiring company members into "Lead" roles, they've created new role specifications and titles for these employees and annoyingly they will be deemed more senior than me and probably on the "senior leadership team". It also looks like they have replaced the guy who was working with me with this "Lead role" taking three roles down to two (And basically me being expected to do the work of two architects based on the ability of this lead)
Do I just play the game here and do less? Kick up a fuss or maybe even just think about a long term move myself? OR do I try and get a leg up somehow in this org enough (Which seems impossible btw with the layers above me).
I don't really have anyone to talk to about this support wise really, I did tell my boss I wasn't happy I wasn't given the opportunity to take on a lead role, but reality is I've had to take second fiddle because we've been eaten up by another company so deep down im happy to have a role at the end of the day.
Let me explain.
I work for a UK Business who got acquired last year by a bigger global company.
Im an Architect and these have multiple disciplines so Some of this is going to be a big vague and complicated so I apologise.
Acquiring company had its same role as most companies do for my role, having worked in multiple industries and gone through acquisitions I've not been completely overawed or submissive to the people doing the same role as me, maybe my age now but I don't rate any of the abilities.
What's happened is they want the acquiring organisation to adopt our working practices (Agile) for the delivery and support. I've been doing this (Stretched to my limits) for the last three years at this org, I've felt I did enough to get recognised maybe with a bit of a lead role getting in new resources but haven't been. As an example a guy doing the same role as me who isn't too bad is leaving so was asked to oversee and get him handing over and working in our ways of working.
Now in my org we have a guy who plays a dotted line type role who is a "lead" architect who moved into a role in the acquiring company pulling in his structure, who has just said he is now moving on in a few months. Coupled with this we have a new CTO who has been in for a couple of months who seems to be rather layered from folk like me.
The crux of this is that what they are doing is putting these acquiring company members into "Lead" roles, they've created new role specifications and titles for these employees and annoyingly they will be deemed more senior than me and probably on the "senior leadership team". It also looks like they have replaced the guy who was working with me with this "Lead role" taking three roles down to two (And basically me being expected to do the work of two architects based on the ability of this lead)
Do I just play the game here and do less? Kick up a fuss or maybe even just think about a long term move myself? OR do I try and get a leg up somehow in this org enough (Which seems impossible btw with the layers above me).
I don't really have anyone to talk to about this support wise really, I did tell my boss I wasn't happy I wasn't given the opportunity to take on a lead role, but reality is I've had to take second fiddle because we've been eaten up by another company so deep down im happy to have a role at the end of the day.
I've been through this a few times and been both placed above and also below.
Of course being placed below was always painful and I always took it personally.
My only real advice is to 100% think of yourself at all times. What moves can you make internally and externally to make things better for yourself.
You've already told your boss which is a good first step, but I'd imagine their hands are tied somewhat and they have been simply told where to put people.
I would add that one possible outcome was being laid off / made redundant, so at least you still have a role! But of course, it sounds like you got the s
tty end of the stick.
How easy is it in your industry to move companies? Could be a great catalyst to move somewhere else where you'd come in higher up than now etc..
Of course being placed below was always painful and I always took it personally.
My only real advice is to 100% think of yourself at all times. What moves can you make internally and externally to make things better for yourself.
You've already told your boss which is a good first step, but I'd imagine their hands are tied somewhat and they have been simply told where to put people.
I would add that one possible outcome was being laid off / made redundant, so at least you still have a role! But of course, it sounds like you got the s
tty end of the stick. How easy is it in your industry to move companies? Could be a great catalyst to move somewhere else where you'd come in higher up than now etc..
InformationSuperHighway said:
I've been through this a few times and been both placed above and also below.
Of course being placed below was always painful and I always took it personally.
My only real advice is to 100% think of yourself at all times. What moves can you make internally and externally to make things better for yourself.
You've already told your boss which is a good first step, but I'd imagine their hands are tied somewhat and they have been simply told where to put people.
I would add that one possible outcome was being laid off / made redundant, so at least you still have a role! But of course, it sounds like you got the stty end of the stick.
How easy is it in your industry to move companies? Could be a great catalyst to move somewhere else where you'd come in higher up than now etc..
Thanks, I can find work, but i'm on a good salary and package so far and few between.Of course being placed below was always painful and I always took it personally.
My only real advice is to 100% think of yourself at all times. What moves can you make internally and externally to make things better for yourself.
You've already told your boss which is a good first step, but I'd imagine their hands are tied somewhat and they have been simply told where to put people.
I would add that one possible outcome was being laid off / made redundant, so at least you still have a role! But of course, it sounds like you got the s
tty end of the stick. How easy is it in your industry to move companies? Could be a great catalyst to move somewhere else where you'd come in higher up than now etc..
Im not in a vulnerable position, it's just very frustrating.
I've played games for years so will know what to do.
Sadly I am experiencing similar. Except the 'lead' people are all talk and no show. They still depend on me to do the work whilst the 'lead' gets to sit in leadership meetings. I'm less bothered as still getting paid well and enjoy the work to a agree - but any misapprehension that this is a meritocracy has gone.
Sort have had the same thing, I was in charge of IT for a uk company, looked after budgets in the millions, responsible for all UK operations and staff. After being absorbed I now have a boss who does all that and I do the day to day easy stuff, I'd leave but I'm still on the same pay and have an easy life and mid 50s I think just wait it out.
fourstardan said:
My worry is they want to get rid of me.
They now seem to be assuming I will do delivery work for the acquiring company that I have no knowledge of systems on.
I'm always looking for new roles but would rather not be over summer.
Start looking as if you need to move.They now seem to be assuming I will do delivery work for the acquiring company that I have no knowledge of systems on.
I'm always looking for new roles but would rather not be over summer.
If you don't get any bites, or the interviews don't go as well as you hoped, it's a good learning exercise.
If you get a better offer, go off into the sunset.
I've been through something very similar recently.
My company was a mid-sized American business. About 2000 people I think. A new brand and "name" bought the business and 4 others in the industry. It's been 7 months and it's still confusing.
Anyway some things I learned along the way:
1) redundancies are inevitable. Often at key dates like 90/180 days but it could be random points too.
2) culture will change. I was happy before but don't like the new culture at all
3) people will leave - sadly the good ones - as they'll get sick of the lack of transparency, the confusion, the waiting for information or things to settle
4) clients will get confused and unhappy too
5) the main company involved in this big merger thing are dominating nearly all positions. They also have set ideas on what they want and historically how they've done things. They aren't interested in how the other companies have operated.
...
My points here is that I think you'd be better to look at moving on. Kicking up a stink (even diplomatically) is unlikely to do anything
My company was a mid-sized American business. About 2000 people I think. A new brand and "name" bought the business and 4 others in the industry. It's been 7 months and it's still confusing.
Anyway some things I learned along the way:
1) redundancies are inevitable. Often at key dates like 90/180 days but it could be random points too.
2) culture will change. I was happy before but don't like the new culture at all
3) people will leave - sadly the good ones - as they'll get sick of the lack of transparency, the confusion, the waiting for information or things to settle
4) clients will get confused and unhappy too
5) the main company involved in this big merger thing are dominating nearly all positions. They also have set ideas on what they want and historically how they've done things. They aren't interested in how the other companies have operated.
...
My points here is that I think you'd be better to look at moving on. Kicking up a stink (even diplomatically) is unlikely to do anything
redrabbit29 said:
I've been through something very similar recently.
My company was a mid-sized American business. About 2000 people I think. A new brand and "name" bought the business and 4 others in the industry. It's been 7 months and it's still confusing.
Anyway some things I learned along the way:
1) redundancies are inevitable. Often at key dates like 90/180 days but it could be random points too.
2) culture will change. I was happy before but don't like the new culture at all
3) people will leave - sadly the good ones - as they'll get sick of the lack of transparency, the confusion, the waiting for information or things to settle
4) clients will get confused and unhappy too
5) the main company involved in this big merger thing are dominating nearly all positions. They also have set ideas on what they want and historically how they've done things. They aren't interested in how the other companies have operated.
...
My points here is that I think you'd be better to look at moving on. Kicking up a stink (even diplomatically) is unlikely to do anything
We was bought for the platform we run our core business on, the platform the acquiring firm had is legacy and bloated on resource to run it. My company was a mid-sized American business. About 2000 people I think. A new brand and "name" bought the business and 4 others in the industry. It's been 7 months and it's still confusing.
Anyway some things I learned along the way:
1) redundancies are inevitable. Often at key dates like 90/180 days but it could be random points too.
2) culture will change. I was happy before but don't like the new culture at all
3) people will leave - sadly the good ones - as they'll get sick of the lack of transparency, the confusion, the waiting for information or things to settle
4) clients will get confused and unhappy too
5) the main company involved in this big merger thing are dominating nearly all positions. They also have set ideas on what they want and historically how they've done things. They aren't interested in how the other companies have operated.
...
My points here is that I think you'd be better to look at moving on. Kicking up a stink (even diplomatically) is unlikely to do anything
It's culturally better for me as they are a global firm where as the firm I've joined that was acquired is uk based and more of a mom and pop shop (but got investment from a PE and made it decently profitable but in the cycle they run then sold us with presumably a few ticking time bombs lol)
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