Guiding through turbulent times: coaching during merger and acquisition

Mergers and acquisitions put organizations through significant disruptions, often taking a toll on employee well-being. This qualitative study aims to analyze how coaching supports employees in coping with the impact of mergers. Eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted with employees and managers. Using realist evaluation, four context-mechanism-outcome configurations (CMOCs) were developed, providing evidence for the following working mechanisms: (1) Increased self-awareness and assertiveness led to greater self-efficacy, empowering participants to advocate for themselves. (2) Breaking down big things into manageable steps helped participants cope with overwhelming issues. (3) Leaders’ support and guidance played a crucial role in helping employees navigate change. And (4) managing a high workload led to increased self-efficacy and well-being at work. These CMOCs demonstrate the diverse working mechanisms of coaching interventions implemented in a disruptive context. The study's insights into these mechanisms offer valuable guidance for designing future interventions to support employees during organizational changes, such as mergers and acquisitions. By tailoring interventions to address employees’ individual challenges and needs, organizations can enhance the effectiveness of these initiatives and promote employee well-being during times of transition. MAD statement This study aims to Make A Difference (MAD) by revealing how coaching works in the context of mergers and acquisitions; more specifically, it identifies the working mechanisms contributing to the intervention's success. By its detailed identification of the interplay of context, mechanism and outcome, it highlights the multifaceted impacts of coaching, ranging from enhanced self-efficacy to coping strategies. It adds to the theoretical discussion on the effectiveness of workplace interventions by not only analyzing what works but also how they work under specific circumstances. As such, it can inform employers on how to support employees during times of organizational change.