The Countdown

Wile on vacation in Thailand and Vietnam this past winter, I found out that my company was being acquired by Symantec. At first, the news appeared unbelievable, considering that we were larger than our acquirer. However, as the months passed, the speculation turned into a very real merger experience. Bit by bit, the pieces have fallen together, the SEC approved the merger, the stockholders voted, and our CEO announced this morning that the merger was completely approved.

Everything has been counting down to Day 1 (July 5th). For me, the merger hasn't taken on the reality it has for others in my group. But today, I received a shiny new Symantec badge which even comes with a new Symantec boss. Throughout the pre-merger process, I've been impressed with the thoroughness to align the departments and the careful consideration that both companies have shown to its employees. I can't say for sure how others were treated, but my director asked me where I would like to work, and what I would like to do when he was deciding on where to assign my position. Not quite the same treatment I've had in other companies. Veritas has been the best company I've worked for. They move like a startup, with fresh ideas and innovation, but they have the stability and leadership of a large corporation. My supervisors and peers have protected and supported me, and have never set me up for failure. Management here wants their employees to succeed, but in return, they expect a lot. I think that's quite a fair trade, and my experiences here have revitalized the moral that my previous (startup) company depleted.