Merger ahead? Make sure HR Is part of the deal - For companies eager to remain ahead of the competition, a merger or acquisition may be just the answer. The hard part, however, is successfully integrating the two compames. Mergers often fail to create value for the acquirer - and research suggests that the most common reason for such failure is an underestimation of the difficulty of successful post-merger intearation. One of the biggest challenges can be managing the integration of two sets of employees. To examine the role of the personnel function during a merger, we spoke to senior managers from five business and financial services companies recently involved in mergers: Bristol & West, Denton Wilde Sapte, Halifax, Lloyds TSB and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Our panel believes that communication, involvement in strategic planning, and shaping corporate culture are the most important aspects of the HR department's work during a merger.