This article explores the challenges of action research on well-being at work in the context of a corporate merger, focusing on the water sector in Lyon. Using NooJ to analyze reception data from employee discourse, we highlight the impact of digital technology on the water professions and the difficulties of adaptation linked to the merger. NooJ enables us to examine employees’ professional postures and feelings by analyzing feeling verbs, revealing the tensions between their expectations and the growing demands of customers and management. Using participatory methods and discourse analysis, we identify employees’ professional values and analyze the points of support and irritants in their professional environment. By integrating these approaches (linguistics, discourse analysis, reception studies), this research proposes innovative solutions for preserving well-being at work and fostering fulfilling collaboration in companies transforming while accompanying change.