One way to ensure there is no attrition of key talent is offering retention bonuses. This typically works well but may not be the long-term solution. There is some effort involved in identifying those who are key to the business or various functions. Part of the decision will depend on input from the Target Company while the rest ultimately resides with the functional leads on the Buyer side. Every function will define talent differently. As Anirvan states, it may be the employee who brings in the most revenue or knows the product extremely well. It may be the admin assistant who has been with the company for many years and can navigate all areas effectively.
Offering an economic inducement is still not a guarantee as ultimately, the employee will beed to be happy with the new environment and culture to stay. Perhaps constant communication with key employees to gauge their level of satisfactions is one way to mitigate any flight risks.
