Microsoft CEO reflects on ‘difficult’ layoffs; NFL reassures staffers after NYC shooting

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

1. Microsoft CEO Nadella acknowledges ‘incongruence’ between layoffs and financial successes

Microsoft chief Satya Nadella shared a lengthy note with the company’s employees late last week, touching on topics ranging from the rise of AI to the company’s culture. But before he addressed the tech giant’s path forward, Nadella addressed Microsoft’s ongoing layoffs.

Before anything else, I want to speak to what’s been weighing heavily on me, and what I know many of you are thinking about: the recent job eliminations. These decisions are among the most difficult we have to make. They affect people we’ve worked alongside, learned from, and shared countless moments with—our colleagues, teammates, and friends.

I want to express my sincere gratitude to those who have left. Their contributions have shaped who we are as a company, helping build the foundation we stand on today. And for that, I am deeply grateful.

I also want to acknowledge the uncertainty and seeming incongruence of the times we’re in. By every objective measure, Microsoft is thriving—our market performance, strategic positioning, and growth all point up and to the right. We’re investing more in CapEx than ever before. Our overall headcount is relatively unchanged, and some of the talent and expertise in our industry and at Microsoft is being recognized and rewarded at levels never seen before. And yet, at the same time, we’ve undergone layoffs.

Having this statement come from Nadella himself is a wise internal comms move. When employees notice the disconnect between profit and cutting jobs, they need to hear the reasoning. The remaining portion of Nadella’s note outlines a blueprint for Microsoft in the months and years ahead, and that can help reinforce employee trust in the organization’s vision. Additionally, having Nadella address uncertainty with themes of empathy and understanding regarding layoffs helps humanize him as a leader, which is important when you’re heading up such a large company. That sort of leadership comms can go a long way toward keeping company culture stable when the seas of change are churning.

Centering the message on the company’s purpose also goes a long way toward stabilizing culture as a leader. Nadella calls out Microsoft’s culture of building at the end of the note as a way to rally employees.

Years from now, when you look back at your time here, I hope you’ll say: “That’s when I learned the most. That’s when I made my biggest impact. That’s when I was part of something transformational.”

Change is a constant in any business — how your leaders talk about it is as important as the actions they choose to take. Internal communicators should advise their leaders to discuss change in a humanizing fashion that puts the company’s mission and values first.

2. NFL, KPMG reach out to employees with empathy following NYC shooting

The NFL is  sharing messages of reassurance with their employees in the wake of a mass shooting at 345 Park Avenue in New York City earlier this week. In addition to the headquarters of the NFL, the skyscraper hosts the offices of other major firms like KPMG.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a note with the league’s employees after the incident, which was then shared by ESPN reporter Adam Schefter on X. He told staff to work from home through next week and expressed concern for a league employee who was injured in the shooting. Additionally, Goodell shared a message of unity and said that the league would hold a virtual meeting to allow employees to express support following the tragedy.

“We are strongest when we come together and support one another. To provide a space for our community, we will be holding a virtual town hall tomorrow where we can connect, share, and support each other. More details to follow.”

KPMG also issued an employee-facing statement in the wake of the shooting. Signed by CEO Tim Walsh and U.S. Managing Principal Atif Zaim, the note assured employees that there were resources in place to help them get through the traumatic event.

To our team who were in 345 Park Avenue yesterday — thank you for your bravery, patience, and compassion in a time of crisis. You are the embodiment of our very special culture at KPMG. In the hours and days ahead, take care of yourselves and please continue to look out for each other.

In this moment, we want you to know that we have resources available for anyone who feels the need to talk to someone. We will be providing resources, including counselors, on the ground and virtually to our New York teams and anyone who needs them.

Please stay safe and support each other.”

These employee-centric statements in the face of a crisis lead with empathy for employees. They provide clear pathways for employees to share their feelings and worries after a traumatic event — that’s a great way for internal communication to put employees first in tough times. Rather than a canned, staid statement, both the NFL and KPMG’s messages are signed by top brass, express concern for those impacted and feature employee-centric next steps. Tough moments are an opportunity for internal communications and leaders to back up their mission statements and commitments to valuing their people. The NFL and KPMG both seem to have hit the mark amid an unthinkable tragedy.

3. Study: Workplace loneliness increases amid AI’s rise —comms can help

A new report from design company Moo found that 79% of knowledge workers feel lonely in their roles — and AI might be partially to blame. Another figure showed that 84% of employees who were pushed to use AI at work felt lonely in their jobs. There’s also an interesting data point in the study about employee collaboration — 65% of employees will turn to technology to ask a question as opposed to contacting a coworker.

Comms pros can’t solve all the AI-related problems that are arising — but they are great at figuring out how to connect people.

Here are a few tangible things comms pros can do to combat loneliness at work.

• Create pathways for connection. Sometimes employees might need a little push to connect with their coworkers. Communicators can create forums for employees to share their experiences on the job with AI and how it’s impacting their roles. This little bit of relatability and shared knowledge can help foster human connections between colleagues that strengthen culture and team bonds.
• Tell employee stories. Everyone has a personality outside of their job. Communicators can showcase employee stories on an intranet platform to reveal the humanity behind the people in the company
• Bond over a shared sense of mission and values. The best workplace cultures form connections through the company’s values. Showcase how employees live these values through their work with multichannel storytelling to maximize reach. That increases the likelihood of a lonely employee seeing colleagues connected to the company mission and seeking out coworker connections themselves.

4. How about some good news?

• A Denver museum discovered a 70-million-year-old fossil beneath its parking lot.
• A Korean restaurant in Texas has distributed nearly 15,000 meals during its monthly food giveaways.
• An electrical engineer in Vermont has restored a payphone to cover his community’s cellular dead zone.
• Ragan Training is great for communications pros to find inspiration and resources.
• You should be rewarded for your work. Find out how to earn an award here!

Have a great weekend comms all-stars!

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports and trivia.