How Safe Is Your Job When Companies Merge?

The United-Continental airline merger has employees in both camps concerned about their future job security. Generally, when two companies merge, operational redundancies are uncovered -- which means the elimination of jobs. And since Chicago will be the new headquarters for the combined airline, employees at the Continental headquarters in Houston realize that their jobs could be at risk.

Because a merger of this magnitude will take some time to complete, some employees will likely be incented to stay on as long as necessary, giving them time to prepare a strategy should their job be eliminated due to the merger.