The Real Reason Employees Say Communication Is Bad

At one of my previous jobs, a senior executive once looked me dead in the eye and said, “Internal communication ranks pretty poorly here, so you’ll have your work cut out for you.”

Oh, great. Love a good challenge. But also—what does that even mean?

Because let’s be honest: when employees say, "Communication is bad here," they’re not talking about the intranet, the CEO’s beautifully crafted email (that they didn’t read), or the latest Viva Engage post. They’re talking about what happens when the internal comms team isn’t in the room.

They mean:

• Their manager hoards information like it’s the last slice of pizza at an office party.

• No one explains why decisions are made—just that they are.

• They hear about major changes via the company rumor mill (or worse, social media).

And yet, when the annual engagement survey rolls around, guess who takes the fall? That’s right—the IC team.

Ownership vs. Influence

We own the channels, the content, the strategic messaging. We can craft a compelling story, equip managers with talking points, and even roll out a leadership communication workshop. But at the end of the day, we don’t have a magic wand to make managers communicate better.

What we can do, though, is set them up for success—and hold them accountable for their role in communication. Because, as Gallagher’s 2024 State of the Sector report points out, 84% of employees rely on their managers for communication, yet three out of five say their manager falls short.

So, what’s the fix? We start by making communication a leadership expectation, not a nice-to-have.

Try this on for size:

At this organization, a leader’s role in communication is to:

✅ Help employees understand what matters most
✅ Model transparency and authenticity
✅ Invite two-way dialogue

Not exactly groundbreaking stuff—but a game-changer when done well. And rather than issuing these expectations as a top-down directive, you can co-create them with leadership to build real buy-in.

Helping Leaders Define Their Role in IC

To guide leaders in owning their role, walk them through this simple self-assessment:

• Understand organizational expectations (What’s already expected of you?)

• Clarify your communication vision (What impact do you want to have?)

• Set clear objectives (How will your communication help achieve business goals?)