Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer, Organon
Search every verified Aaron Falcione interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Aaron Falcione, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Organon, discussed the role of culture in mergers and acquisitions and the company's approach to return-to-office policies in two September 2024 podcast appearances. In the first appearance, Falcione stated that people "make or break a deal" and that failing to address urgent people issues in M&A reduces the probability of capturing deal value. He said that in a transaction, the first question employees ask is "Will I have a job?" and that senior executives often want to start with vision and values, but must first address basic security concerns. He described walking away from a deal due to a "fundamental cultural misfit" and later acquiring the same company from a position of strength)Skip In the second appearance, Falcione described Organon's return-to-office strategy, which he said guides employees to be in the office two to three days a week with one anchor day for cross-functional collaboration, rather than mandating attendance. He said the company was "vulnerable" in acknowledging it did not have a solution that would satisfy everyone)Skip He cited solidarity with essential workers who showed up during COVID, community obligation to local businesses in Jersey City, and the disproportionate impact of mandates on women as factors in the decision. Falcione said that when the initial strategy was announced, employees "threw up all over it," and the company listened and course-corrected. He added that "sometimes as a senior leader you just have to eat a little humble pie."
“We basically said we don't have the answer, no one does, and so I think we started to set aside this notion that there is a solution here that's going to satisfy everyone. We talked about what we valued: in-person collaboration, human connection, and how that yields more innovative, creative results as a company.”
“We sent a note out announcing our new return to office strategy and our Founders threw up all over it. They just said, 'No, this is terrible.' We listened, recalibrated, and course-corrected, and we've landed in a place that the majority of our Founders feel really positive about.”
“Our strategy right now is we guide the organization; we'd like people to be in the office two to three days a week. We have one anchor day, Wednesday, where we encourage cross-functional collaboration. We allow flexibility of coming and going times and have created amenities to make it a positive experience.”
“We have six manufacturing plants around the world. These are heroes in my mind who showed up every day during the height of COVID when it was really scary. We should have solidarity with those people and all essential workers who helped keep our world going during that time.”
“We put down roots here in Jersey City, made an investment in this community with office space and local businesses. If we don't show up, we stop supporting the community. I don't think that meets our obligation to the community.”
“Forcing people back into the office had a disproportionate impact on women and the women in our workforce, especially given the disruption to childcare infrastructure during COVID. That's not okay and can't be. So we guide rather than mandate, and I feel really good about where we've landed.”
“Sometimes as a senior leader you just have to eat a little humble pie. It's not easy when what you think is right is absolutely rejected by your team. The initial response is almost anger, but then you have to listen and appreciate their perspective as well as share yours.”
“I had a conversation with a former colleague whose company mandated in-office work. Even though she was already going four days a week, the mandate caused resentment. The very fact that someone mandated it was almost audacious, and it had a negative impact despite no change in behavior.”
“We want human connection to be the defining feature of our company, not distance. Treating employees like human beings sounds simple but is critical. Collaboration and discussion, not mandates, are what we emphasize in our approach.”
“I really firmly believe and I think I could back this up with lots of experience that people make or break a deal. The success of an M&A transaction really depends a lot on how you deal with some of the attendant people issues that a corporate announcement of a transaction starts to provoke.”
“If you fail to address the most urgent people issues, the distraction that causes will substantially reduce your probabilities of successfully capturing the value that underpin the deal price to begin with.”
“One of the principles is you cannot not communicate. Even silence communicates something, and you can either communicate something proactively with decisions and forethought or you can communicate through omission and leave the speculation to the rumor mill.”
“The first question that most people ask in a big transaction is, 'Will I have a job?' It follows Maslow's hierarchy of needs—basic safety and security issues must be resolved before employees can focus on higher order questions about company values and culture.”
“I was brought in late on a deal where the CEO was dismissive of advice to prepare for employee questions. At a town hall, when asked a provocative question about pay and benefits, the CEO responded dismissively, which led to the departure of a key engineer and ultimately the collapse of the business.”
“Cultural factors always have an influence on M&A deals and can sometimes be a go or no-go factor. I recall walking away from a deal due to a fundamental cultural misfit, especially when we anticipated 50 to 60% attrition on the management team.”
businessleadership #leadership #management Aaron Falcione emphasizes the importance of culture in mergers and acquisitions ...
businessleadership #leadership #management Aaron Falcione emphasizes the importance of culture in mergers and acquisitions ...
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