First, watch this video clip, which shows an HR Manager (Daryl) having a conversation with one of her colleagues (Jackson), about an upcoming merger. Jackson is concerned that the merger will impact his job security (and that of his team members), and he's meeting with Daryl to try to get some reassurance and information.

Jackson: Well, First I want to thank you for meeting me in such short notice.

Daryl: Sure no problem

Jackson: Well I'm just going to go straight to the point, I have a few questions regarding the acquisition, Yahoo and us and so on so forth. Everyone is a little concerned I am a little concerned. What's going on do you have any scoop for me?

Daryl: Well I don't have any scoop. But I think I can tell you that's normal That you are nervous about an acquisition. In any acquisition there is a lot of uncertainty. As the company being acquired, We don't often have a lot of answers that we want answers to, Like what's going to happen to me what's going to happened to my job and , Am I going to get a new boss? Is there anything that's going to happen to my salary? Those are all normal questions.

Jackson: So you are saying those are all spilled up in the air?

Daryl: It would be premature to tell people What's going to happen in the absence of having facts, But there are so many things that you can do during the interim. First and foremost you need to over communicate to people. Tell them what's going on as you hear it and if you have nothing to tell them, then be honest and say I have nothing to tell you this time. I think that there is something that you can do to feel better about the uncertainty.

Number 1, focus on your work here at HotJobs. And if you just stay focused on that work, I think that the answers to your questions will come in due time.

Jackson: You are asking us to do our work and I think it is A very difficult thing to ask of people when they are not Sure if they are going to have jobs tomorrow.

Daryl: There is another tactic that you can employ and that is: To test the waters out in the job market. I'm not suggesting that you leave the company, there's a big difference between resigning from a job and testing the waters. I recommend testing the waters for a specific reason. And that reason is because you will feel as tough you are taking control of your own destiny and that will help relieve stress.

Jackson: Let me say this if I can get straight answers from you as far as, Are they going to have jobs are they not? We are going to lose some of these people right? Like you said, test the waters. People have been doing that. As a matter of fact it hasn't been about us going on testing waters, people have been coming to us and offering jobs. So when it comes down to that do they take those jobs?

Daryl: You hit on something really important, And that is how can we retain this critical team members? I'll tell you that Yahoo is very Interested in keeping the talent that hotjobs has, And what that will ultimately end up being, I don't know. But because they are interested in keeping the talent I think we have a real shot at keeping a lot of people here at Hotjobs.

Jackson: what if the job offer comes and Goes and they decide to stay with Hotjobs and then Hotjobs doesn't go?

Daryl: again I think you are hitting on An important thing and that is what can we do to retain people? I think you can use your credibility with Your team and your relationship with your team to sit down With the team members and have one on one conversations and Then apply some retention tactics. For example perhaps have a team member work on a special project. Tell the person that you value them, That you think that they are important.

Jackson: But I'm not going to do that just to keep them here, Specially if they are going to be fired a day down the line. Are they supposed to jump ship before the ship sinks? Or are they supposed to trust me and say, Stay with the team we have something great.

Daryl: it's frustrating, isn't it? When you want answers to questions and answers just aren't there yet. There is one alternative that could materialize, And that is that we might be able to offer individuals retention bonuses. A retention bonuses says "hey John Smith We need you to stay here at least until X date, And if you do you will get a bonus of X Amount of dollars" so that people have a little bit of certainty.

We have to be careful though, Because those retention bonuses Or the plans for them have not been finalized, You have to be careful not to communicate anything to Your team members until we have something to communicate. That might be an alternative.

Jackson: Well my question then is, Why hasn't this been put in place?

Daryl: Before a deal closes, Jackson, The companies are restricted in making promises or doing business together. The government restricts the two companies from doing business Together or integrating or making plans to integrate. There is a legal restrictions to doing that.

1. Critique Daryl's approach to addressing Jackson's concerns. What did she do that was effective? Ineffective? Mention specific behaviors/comments from the video.
2. How did you feel about her comment to, "test the waters." How would you have reacted to this comment if you were Jackson? Explain.
3. Do you think it was appropriate for Daryl to mention retention bonuses? Why or why not?