Culture & Integrations
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It goes without saying that ‘culture’ and ‘integration’ are deeply connected. In a recent integration, I found that simple initiatives, like compiling a shared list of acronyms used by both organizations, can make a meaningful difference. However, the most impactful step in fostering cultural alignment was implementing a buddy system. By assigning clear tasks and milestones linked to employees’ year-end performance evaluations, we were able to create accountability and drive meaningful connections across teams while ensuring the culture in which we wanted to foster and keep remained intact.
I have seen firsthand how small steps can build alignment across teams. In one merger I was part of, the most valuable synergy came from restructuring our administrative and scheduling teams. Each department had operated separately with different practices and overlapping responsibilities. After the integration, we created a unified team and assigned schedulers to specific towns. That shift gave people ownership over their areas and allowed them to build deeper familiarity with the work, the customers, and the teams involved.
This operational change directly supported cultural alignment. With clearer responsibilities and more consistent collaboration, communication became stronger across functions. While we did not implement a formal buddy system, the new structure naturally encouraged the same effect. Schedulers and supervisors worked closely within the same territories, which helped build trust, accountability, and consistency over time.
The biggest lesson I took from that experience is that structure creates stability. When people understand their roles and work with the same colleagues regularly, relationships grow and teamwork improves. Integration is not only about combining operations. It is also about creating the conditions where people can work better together and build a stronger shared culture. That model continues to serve us well today.
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