The Communication of Change

Why Change Communication Matters More Than Ever

I’m going to change tack a little and move away from some of my technical articles and focus on some of the softer stuff that is incredibly crucial to any organisation. And for the next few articles, that is going to be around change management in an organisation – and more specifically – how that is communicated.  

Change is hard, whether it’s a minor process change or a big org structure change, but inevitable. And even if your change muscles are well worked and you’re used to regular change, it can still be incredibly trying to face, especially if the change feels haphazard, poorly thought through, or most likely – simply just poorly communicated.

Study after study has shown that poor communication is one of the top reasons change initiatives fail. Research from Gartner and McKinsey consistently points to failure rates hovering around 60–70%, often linked directly to unclear or inconsistent messaging. Without a clear narrative, even the most strategically sound changes can collapse under misunderstanding, misinformation, and resistance. A missed update, a vague email, or an unaddressed rumour can quickly derail months of planning.

And it’s that planning which can often be the issue. Companies and their respective HR departments are trying to plan every detail of their communication to prevent it from being interpreted wrong. Communicating early and honestly – even without having all the details – is a better way to build trust and prevent rumours and miscommunication. People would trust a person who might say the wrong thing or make a mistake, rather than a company that under-communicates.

Trust as the Foundation 

At the heart of any change effort is trust. When employees don’t understand the reasoning behind a decision, fear and speculation fill the gap. Effective communication turns uncertainty into curiosity and eventually into buy-in. It tells people, “We’re in this together, and here’s how it impacts you.” That trust is the currency you spend to move the organization forward.

The Modern Workforce Expectation 

Today’s employees expect more than just updates—they expect transparency and authenticity. In an era of instant access to information, top-down, need-to-know communication feels outdated. People want leaders who can be candid about challenges, open about risks, and real about what’s still unknown.

The Pillars of Effective Change Communication

So, if leaders want to approach communicating change in a way that better promotes trust and helps drive collaboration in making the change, they can leverage the following pointers:

• Clarity: Avoid corporate jargon and buzzwords. Speak in plain, relatable language so every person, from frontline teams to executives, can understand what’s happening and why.

• Consistency: Communicate regularly and predictably. An information vacuum is quickly filled with speculation. A consistent cadence, whether weekly updates, monthly town halls, or milestone-based communications, keeps everyone aligned.

• Transparency: Don’t just tell people what is changing—explain the why. Share the reasoning, context, and expected outcomes. Even if the full picture isn’t clear, being honest about what you know and don’t know builds credibility.

• Engagement: Change communication is not a one-way broadcast. Create opportunities for feedback and dialogue through Q&A sessions, surveys, open forums, and informal check-ins.

• Reinforcement: Repetition is critical. Share key messages across multiple mediums—email, video, intranet posts, in-person meetings—so they stick and reach different learning styles.

Planning Your Change Communication Strategy

I have already mentioned how one of the biggest failures in changing communication is trying to overplan it or trying to control the communication. So, how do they plan for their change effectively without falling into the same trap:

Identifying Stakeholders: Not all stakeholders are the same, but all are important. Tailor messages for leaders, managers, and employees so that each group gets the right level of detail. Map out who needs to know what and when, but don’t leave a big time period between your when. Rumours will spread the longer you leave gaps in your change communication (even the biggest organisational changes) – so focus on trying to move through the when’s quickly.  

Crafting the Narrative: Your narrative should answer the following key questions:

• Why are we changing?

• What does success look like?

• What’s the benefit to the organization and individuals?

• What are the risks and unknowns of the change?

• How do we measure the change to determine if it is working?

Once you have this for each level, get the message out as quickly and honestly as possible. Many companies make the mistake of trying to paint a change as always positive – and while most times that is should be the case – be honest with any negatives of making the change, challenges that may lie ahead or if the change is a result of a mistake – rather be up front with it than trying and make the change sound like a natural evolution.

And if there are things you are unsure about, always try and identify those upfront. What you don’t communicate upfront will turn into a rumour and lose trust.

Choosing Channels: Select the right mix of communication tools: emails for formal updates, town halls for leadership visibility, intranet for persistent information, and videos for visual storytelling. Try as many approaches as possible – though in all, provide a platform for questions, both personal and anonymous – giving people a platform to be heard.

Timing and Cadence: Announce changes well before they happen, provide reminders as the date approaches, and follow up with progress reports and any measurable change. That latter part is important because it helps you to pivot on a change if it’s clear it’s not working – and again helps to build trust.

Risk Planning: Expect questions, pushback, and even misinformation. Prepare FAQs, talking points for managers, and clear escalation paths so that concerns are addressed promptly and consistently – but don’t try and cater for every eventuality and spend too much effort on the details of these. Again, it’s okay to not know all the details rather than delay too long to try and have all your potential questions answered.

Change is all about communication

Change is not just a logistical shift—it’s an emotional journey. Communication is the bridge that connects people’s current reality to the future vision, helping them navigate uncertainty and remain engaged. Without it, even the best change strategy is built on shaky ground. So it’s important that leaders view communication not as a one-off announcement, but as a continuous dialogue that fosters trust, clarity, and inclusion.

When people feel heard, informed, and supported, they are more likely to embrace change rather than resist it. By weaving consistent, transparent communication into every stage of the change process, organizations create the conditions for alignment and resilience. Ultimately, it’s not just the new systems or processes that determine success—it’s how well people are brought along the journey.