Mergers and acquisitions are increasingly being used by firms to strengthens and maintain their position in the market place. They are seen by many as a relatively fast and efficient way to expand into new markets and incorporate new technologies. Yet their success is by no means assured. To the contrary, a majority of fall short there stated goals and objectives. While some failures can be explained as financial and market factors, a substantial number can be traced to neglect human resource issues and activities. Numerous studies confirm the need for firms to systematically address a variety of human resource issues and activities in their merger and acquisition activities. Organizations regard mergers & acquisitions as a strategic tool for increasing profitability, gaining market share and developing synergies. From banking to software, insurance to technology, companies have started entering into mergers & acquisitions to become market leaders in their respective industries. This paper discusses about the role of HR professionals in making these deals successful. Many mergers fail to achieve their objectives because HR professionals are either not involved or are involved at a very late stage in merger process. This paper describes about the role of HR manager as facilitator, educationist, team builder and integrator.
