The Challenge

Restructuring. Culture shifts. Tech rollouts. AI initiatives. For many, it feels less like momentum and more like whiplash.

The average employee now faces ten planned enterprise changes a year—five times more than a decade ago. No wonder most workers say they’re overwhelmed by how quickly work is changing.

When it comes to addressing this challenge, the real question isn’t whether organizations should slow down or speed up. It’s how they sustain engagement and create a sense of shared identity and stability in the midst of it all.

As Deloitte’s 2025 Global Human Capital Trends report notes:
“With the right anchors in place, workers can gain trust in the people they work with and for… [leading to] engagement, performance, and innovation.”

The Anchor Effect

The best communications don’t just inform. They anchor teams, providing clarity and steadiness in times of constant change. With a shared foundation, employees gain the confidence to innovate, adapt, and move forward with intention.

That foundation comes to life in three ways:

• Identity — Clear narratives and internal branding help employees see themselves in the bigger picture.
• Consistency — A “red thread” of aligned messaging, carried through every campaign and touchpoint, helps employees see the path forward and their role in it.
• Connection — Storytelling, shared experiences, and creative activations connect strategy, priorities, and people—so change feels engaging and purposeful, not isolating and disruptive.

From Confusion to Clarity

Consider technology transformations. Organizations often assume new tools will automatically empower workers. But when employees don’t see how the technology improves their work, the opposite happens—confusion rises, motivation drops, and outcomes stall.

Strategic communications bridge the gap by translating change into clarity and confidence.

Organizations already know how to do this externally with their customers. Audience insights and data-driven storytelling have shaped how people think, feel, and engage with brands for decades. Why not apply those same engagement principles and creativity to motivate, inspire, and align employees?

Understanding what motivates employees—and designing communications that tap into those drivers—is the missing piece in how many organizations pursue performance and innovation.

Our Take

Great communication is a competitive advantage. It anchors great culture—and great culture drives growth.

• Anchored teams move with confidence. When communications provide clarity and predictability, employees feel grounded—even in constant change.
• It strengthens culture through clarity. Consistent communication turns uncertainty into alignment and shared direction.
• Connection fuels innovation. When people feel informed and included, they bring energy, ideas, and ownership to what’s next.