New Lululemon boss sets tone in welcome note; Spellbook CEO mandates human writing in AI policy

Greetings, comms pros! Let’s take a look at a few news items from the last week and see what we can learn from them.

1. New Lululemon CEO greets employees, commits to collaborative approach

New Lululemon CEO Heidi O’Neill greeted employees in a memo published on the company’s website, marking the start of her tenure at the apparel brand. She told employees that as she takes over the top job, she’ll focus on asking the right questions.

Over the coming weeks, I will spend time with our teams, partners, guests, and communities as part of my extensive onboarding program. I will ask a lot of questions — including tough ones. I want to better understand our product, our brand, and our culture. I want to know what is working, what is getting in our way, what we need to protect, and where we need to change. I want to hear from the teams who know this company best.

O’Neill also said that even amid her listening tour, the company will still move quickly and adjust the way it works, creating a sense of urgency for readers.

he also said  that difficult choices may be coming, which serves as a signal to internal communicators that they may need to get messaging prepared ahead of potential changes before employees start filling in gaps themselves. Internal comms pros should work in lockstep with new leaders to ensure that their messages are aligned. In addition, they should work with managers when leadership changes happen to have FAQ documents ready in advance to address potential employee questions.

2. Spellbook CEO lays out human-first AI policy in memo

Canadian AI company Spellbook’s CEO Scott Stevenson sent an internal memo to employees outlining the company’s AI use policy, which notably emphasized the viewpoint that human thought should trump automation. Obtained by Business Insider, Stevenson said that while the company works in AI and he believes in automation, he does not think that AI should be used for long form writing or customer-facing communication. He told employees that AI-created documents run too long, and that can hurt trust in a person’s ability to think on their own.

“While being able to create a polished longform document with a prompt may feel powerful and professional—this impression is often only surface level,” Stevenson wrote. “Good writing is concise and authentic. I would rather that you send a scrappy 5 bullet point proposal than 5 pages of polished fluff.”

The note continued by laying out the company’s top policy points, including that employees need to indicate when they draft with AI’s help and that when they’re in doubt, to send a “D+”, unpolished version of a draft rather than an AI-generated one.

Spellbook’s memo sets a standard for written communication . Most AI policies communicate what is and isn’t allowed, while the memo from Stevenson tells employees clearly what good work looks like . The CEO of an AI company asking for unpolished communication is notable in a world where seemingly every company is pushing automation. It’s a sign that a human touch in communication still matters for both culture and the business side of things.

3. University of Delaware institutes partial RTO for all employees with a 2027 deadline to comply

Melissa Bard, vice president and chief human resources officer at The University of Delaware, sent a note to employees that the university is requiring staff to return to their desks at least four days a week by 2027. In the memo obtained by Spotlight Delaware, Bard said that in-person work made for a better campus experience, but she did acknowledge the difficulties that come with the change.

“At the same time, we recognize that increasing on-campus work may require meaningful adjustments for some employees, including changes involving commuting, caregiving responsibilities, existing remote or hybrid arrangements, and workspace needs. We are committed to providing clear timelines, a consistent process for requesting a different work arrangement, and support as units plan for the transition,” Bard wrote.

That explanation was followed by a set of detailed next steps and places where employees could find more information.

Internal communicators should take note of how Bard’s memo explains both the rationale for the RTO and the acknowledgement of difficulties employees may encounter. It makes it clear to readers that while the university understands there might be some challenges for employees, this is the way that things are going to be. It’s not a request form or an invitation for dialogue. Internal comms pros in RTO situations often have to communicate with employees that aren’t too pleased with the decision.

4. How about some good news?

• Yard work in Denmark uncovered a haul of Viking-era silver.
• An aquarium in South Carolina has welcomed seven endangered penguin chicks this year.
• An arthritis drug is showing promise regrowing hair in patients with alopecia.
• Ragan Training is an excellent place for communications professionals to find inspiration and valuable resources.
• You should be rewarded for your work. Find out how to earn an award here!

Sean Devlin the senior internal communications editor at Ragan. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.