(n:gage): As having the privilege of leading the HR integration on
the CMC and TCS merger, yet another PSU and private sector
amalgamation – how different were the challenges as compared to
the IPCL – RIL merger? Could you share with stories / examples.
Archana: I feel it was an extremely enriching experience to witness
privatization of not one but two Public Sector enterprises as far removed
from each other as chalk and cheese. In the first case, a Petrochemical giant
IPCL was merged with Reliance Petrochemicals and in the other CMC Ltd, an
IT Sector path setter was merged with TCS.
The nature of both industries and the companies was so different from each
other that from far there seems to be no fungible learning to be derived.
However, both these experiences reinforced my belief that HR is a study of
human sciences and human behavior rather than a plethora of processes and
systems. Any merger causes tectonic shifts which require every department
of re-adjust their equilibrium. And brings with it insecurities for the future.
n:gage | August 2017