Your toughest internal critics might be your most valuable comms resources

Internal communicators shouldn’t always view workplace critics as an obstacle to overcome. Instead, they can utilize critics’ perspectives to help find weak spots in their messaging and make their comms connect better.

During Ragan’s Employee Communications and Culture Conference in Boston earlier this year, communicators gathered to discuss how they’ve navigated hot-button issues like RTO processes and AI upskilling initiatives. They agreed that when leaders and communicators make employees part of the messaging process instead of just the end recipient, critics can eventually become employee advocates.

“When it comes to people and communication, speed is not always the most important step,” said Jon Beck, vice president of people and internal operations at ButcherBox. “It’s really about following a change management arc, bringing folks along for the ride and building the coalition. I think of our policy going live as the finish line, not the starting gun.”

He added that this sort of mindset helped form ButcherBox’s approach to RTO comms after multiple years of remote and hybrid work.