Workforce support for M&A

Cielo's M&A solutions include our proprietary Cielo TalentCloud platform – a tech ecosystem that combines ATS and embedded partner solutions with Cielo's specialized tools. This platform streamlines and automates talent acquisition and creates operational efficiency across the entire transition process. For divestitures and NewCo scenarios, we adapt to your specific situation – whether working within transition services agreements to maximize value from legacy systems, supporting purchasing decisions for core platforms like Workday, SAP or Oracle, or providing the complete TA technology infrastructure needed to start fresh.

As certified implementers of leading solutions including Workday, iCIMS and Paradox, we can simplify your technology stack, overlay our solutions with existing systems, or build new capabilities from the ground up. Our team provides both configuration expertise and ongoing system administration services, ensuring your platforms remain optimized, secure and aligned with evolving business needs throughout the transition and beyond.

Yes. Cielo takes full ownership of the offer process during transitions, handling everything from offer letter generation to acceptance tracking. We ensure consistent messaging, accurate compensation details, and timely delivery – critical factors for maintaining candidate confidence during organizational changes. Our process includes customized offer templates that reflect your new or transitioning brand, systematic tracking of responses, and proactive follow-up protocols that maintain momentum. This comprehensive approach helps maximize acceptance rates and creates a positive first impression of your evolving organization.

Cielo supports change in virtually any global market, with proven experience across 110+ countries. Our global delivery model combines centralized strategy with localized execution, ensuring quality and compliance with regional regulations. We leverage local market expertise, language capabilities, and cultural understanding to navigate complex international transitions. Our global infrastructure includes teams familiar with country-specific employment laws, compensation norms, and talent acquisition practices, allowing us to scale quickly in any region your activity requires.

Unlike traditional providers who offer fragmented services, Cielo delivers an integrated approach that combines strategic consulting, employer branding, operational excellence, and technological innovation. Our comprehensive change management program is a key differentiator – we help with offer letters, ensure people are processed correctly into systems, and deliver the right information at the right time to maintain workforce confidence and retention. Without this careful attention to the human experience, transitions often result in distrust and unnecessary talent loss.

We bring specialized change expertise that anticipates challenges before they arise, rather than simply reacting to them. Our build-operate-transfer model provides immediate capability with long-term control – something few competitors offer. We deliver both the talent acquisition capability AND the technology in one solution, particularly valuable for divestitures and NewCo scenarios. This approach ensures you never have to choose between technology and service excellence. With Cielo, you get both.

We approach data migration with meticulous planning and execution, ensuring both operational continuity and regulatory compliance. Our process begins with comprehensive data mapping to identify what information needs to transfer, followed by systematic cleansing and validation before migration. We implement robust security protocols that meet GDPR, CCPA, and other regional privacy requirements throughout the transition. Our compliance team works alongside technical experts to create audit trails, secure transfer mechanisms, and appropriate consent management systems. This integrated approach guarantees your talent data remains protected, accessible and compliant throughout any M&A process.

Cultural integration begins with thorough assessment of both organizations' values, communication styles, and working norms. Through our award-winning employer brand division, we develop targeted strategies that identify cultural strengths to preserve while facilitating necessary evolution. Our approach includes creating cultural ambassadors within the organization, developing consistent messaging that acknowledges both heritage and future direction, and implementing feedback mechanisms to monitor integration progress. We focus on making cultural values tangible through specific behaviors and processes rather than abstract concepts. This pragmatic approach helps employees navigate the human side of change while maintaining productivity and engagement throughout the transition.

Implementation timelines are customized based on complexity, organizational readiness, and strategic priorities. Typically, we deploy initial capabilities within 4-6 weeks of engagement, with full implementation phased over 8-12 weeks. For urgent situations, our rapid deployment model establishes core functions in as little as one week. Each implementation follows a structured methodology with clear milestones, allowing for predictable progress tracking while maintaining flexibility for deal-specific requirements. Our experience across numerous M&A scenarios enables us to accelerate timelines without sacrificing quality or compliance, making sure you're prepared for critical Day 1 activities and beyond.

Our Day 1 readiness support encompasses comprehensive planning and execution across all talent-related functions. We develop detailed transition playbooks with clear accountability for each critical activity, making sure nothing falls through the cracks. Our support includes preparing communication packages for managers, establishing help desks for hiring managers and candidates with offers, configuring systems for immediate functionality, and creating contingency plans for potential issues. We conduct readiness assessments in the weeks leading up to Day 1, addressing gaps before they impact operations. On Day 1 itself, we provide support to resolve issues in real-time, ensuring a smooth transition for all stakeholders.

Our build-operate-transfer model provides immediate talent acquisition capability while developing your long-term internal function. In the build phase, we rapidly establish processes, technology, and teams tailored to your specific needs. During the operate phase, we run the function while simultaneously documenting procedures, training recruiters, and refining operations based on performance data. The transfer phase involves methodical handover of responsibilities to your team, with decreasing support levels as capability matures. This model provides the best of both worlds: immediate expertise when you need it most, and sustainable internal capability for the long term. The timeline is customizable based on your readiness and strategic priorities.

Core to our approach is our PR for HR service. The communication approach balances transparency with appropriate confidentiality during sensitive transitions. We develop tiered communication plans with tailored messaging for different stakeholder groups, from executives to frontline employees. Each plan includes carefully sequenced information release, consistent messaging across channels, and feedback mechanisms to address concerns promptly. We prepare leaders with talking points and Q&A documents to ensure consistent messaging. And our communications team works closely with legal and HR to ensure all messaging meets regulatory requirements to build trust. This structured approach minimizes uncertainty and speculation that can undermine transition success.

We measure success through both operational metrics and strategic outcomes. Operational metrics include time-to-productivity for transitioned employees, retention rates of identified key talent, offer acceptance rates, hiring timeline adherence, and technology adoption rates. Strategic metrics focus on business impact: revenue contribution of new hires, critical position vacancy duration, employee engagement scores during transition, and hiring manager satisfaction. We establish baseline measurements and target goals at project initiation, with regular reporting throughout the engagement. This data-driven approach allows for continuous improvement and provides clear evidence of return on investment for your M&A talent strategy.

For divestitures and NewCo scenarios, we provide end-to-end employer branding support that establishes market presence and attracts top talent. Our approach begins with defining your unique employee value proposition based on organizational strategy and culture aspirations. We develop complete brand toolkits including messaging frameworks, visual identity guidelines, and candidate journey maps. Our team creates all necessary recruitment marketing assets – career sites, social media profiles, job description templates, and candidate communications. For companies separating from a parent organization, we craft narratives that honor heritage while establishing distinct identity. This holistic approach ensures your new entity can immediately compete for talent with an authentic, compelling employer brand.