Mergers are never simple. It’s not just about combining systems and processes; it’s about bringing together people, cultures, and values. And that can be really tough.
Back in January 2025, PEAS Zambia and Zambia Impact Network merged. Looking back over the past year, we’re proud of what’s been achieved but honest about the challenges we’ve faced and the lessons we’ve learned along the way.
We thought it might be helpful to share our top 10 lessons from this journey, just in case you or your organisation is thinking about merging or leading some big organisational changes yourselves.
- Mission and values alignment is critical
What really set the foundation for our merger was getting on the same page early about our mission, values, and vision. We had honest conversations about why we do what we do, we do it and what kind of culture we want. There were no big egos – just a willingness to collaborate and compromise. That shared ground quickly built trust and made it much easier to work together and feel confident about saying yes to the merger.
- Workstream structure drives progress
Once we made the decision to merge, we were open with both organisations about what was happening. We organised the merger into clear workstreams like legal, finance, people and culture, programmes etc. We gave teams ownership of their areas, which meant everyone knew who was responsible for what and felt empowered to find solutions. That structure kept things moving, even when things got complex.
- Plan for longer timelines – especially legal
A lot of that complexity was because of the legal parts of the merger. Legal processes, especially across countries, took much longer than we expected (and we expected them to take a long time). If you’re heading into a merger, plan for extended timelines, invest in reliable legal support, and set realistic deadlines from the start. It’s better to be pleasantly surprised than to be caught off guard by delays.
- Communicate early, often, and honestly
Keeping communication open and regular made a huge difference through the merger, though it wasn’t perfect. There were still moments when people felt out of the loop, especially during delays. Our takeaway: keep updates regular, even if all the details aren’t set. It eases anxiety and helps everyone know what to expect. This is relevant for both internal and external stakeholers.
- Fairness and inclusion require deliberate action
When it came to compensation, those open conversations mattered even more. Merging two organisations means differences in pay, benefits, and resources are almost a given. If you don’t address them head-on, people might feel things aren’t fair. We worked to standardise pay and conditions as best as we could, and when differences couldn’t be avoided, we explained why. If we were to do it again, we would prioritise greater standardisation from the very beginning. This would have helped everyone feel even more included.
- Empower teams, but provide support
Feeling included also means feeling like your opinion counts. Overall, the merger meant more employees felt their opinions counted, as we delegated decision-making to local levels. But as could be expected, joining a bigger organisation also felt more like bureaucracy at times. So, we made a real effort to provide clear support and rationale, especially for teams adapting to new reporting lines or remote management. Listening, adapting, and explaining were everyday tasks for all our managers.
- Invest in grant management and HR early
If we could do it again, we’d put more resources into understanding grant management and strengthening HR right from the start. We ran into a few challenges with reporting and clarity around roles. Our advice: make these a priority early on and bring in extra help if you need it to avoid problems later.
- Induction and onboarding matter
Good onboarding also takes time and resources. While our induction process was helpful, some staff – especially in new regions – felt they didn’t get enough time or information to be comfortable with the new policies and systems. So, make onboarding inclusive and well-paced so everyone feels part of the team from day one and has all the information they need to succeed.
- Maintain and build culture – it’s ongoing
And while most staff are positive about the merger, there is still a risk of a “two organisations” feeling, especially if there are gaps in resources or communication. That’s why we keep working on our culture. This has meant prioritising opportunities for the teams to really get to know each other – from a full team retreat to open Q&A sessions with our Zambia leaders, cross-team visits, and even informal calls between colleagues in different regions. Keeping everyone connected is a long-term commitment; one we know is worth it.
- Celebrate successes, but keep improving
There’s so much for us to celebrate. Through the merger, we are changing more lives, operating in more geographies and implementing new programming, which is really exciting. But it’s also important for us to be proud of our stability in this period. The absence of major crises, such as loss of key staff, or programme disruption, is a huge achievement.
And we’re not done. Integration is ongoing: we’ll continue to invest in culture, collaboration, and learning. After 6 months of merging, we reflected as a team on what’s working and what’s not. We’re committed to keeping that learning mindset over the coming years so we can keep getting better as we move forward.
Overall, our merger has been a journey of growth, learning, and resilience. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and we’re excited to build on these lessons as we keep working to support our staff, schools, and communities.
We’d love to chat more if you want to learn from our experience – just reach out!