Omincom CEO calls for ‘transparent’ layoffs amid merger; Instagram memo gets detailed on RTO

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

1. Omnicom merger with IPG results in 4,000 job cuts; CEO wants layoffs to be ‘fair and transparent’

Advertising and comms giant Omnicom made waves this week with the completion of its acquisition of IPG — a move that resulted in the elimination of 4,000 jobs. The move also included the closure of several brands now under the Omincom banner and a new leadership structure.

Ominicom CEO John Wren said that letting affected employees know about the cuts in short order was a priority, with notifications finished by the end of December.

According to Campaign:

“We have been working very, very diligently to try to communicate that to those people as close to day one as we possibly can” in order to be “clear and fair and transparent” and avoid a “drip, drip, drip” of news.

Wren also told The Financial Times, “Anybody that was generating revenue before December last year has a very good position with us today.”

Omnicom’s stated commitment to get the news of the layoffs out as quickly and transparently as possible is necessary to stabilize an organization in the middle of a major shift. Beyond the 4,000 employees directly affected, each of those employees has teammates and colleagues who are likely wondering what’s next for their jobs. Getting detailed news of who is impacted by the layoffs and how the job cuts and merger will affect individual teams is a must to preserve a sense of culture for those who remain.

Having a leader emphasize the importance of getting communication out quickly and transparently is valuable. When employees see their leaders tie the need for humanity during moments of major change to the evolving needs of the business, they’re more likely to get on board for what comes after a major merger or job cut.

2. Instagram memo calls employees back to office in the name of ‘creativity and collaboration’

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri shared a memo with the platform’s employees earlier this week, alerting them that in the new year, they’ll be returning to the office full-time. Obtained by Alex Heath’s Sources Substack, Mosseri’s note, titled “Building a Winning Culture in 2026,” stated that the move was being made to increase creativity and production during a challenging period. “These changes are going to meaningfully help us move Instagram forward in a way we can all be proud of — with creativity, boldness, and craft,” Mosseri wrote.

The note also gave affected employees the specifics of how the RTO process will work. The memo also included details about how the New York and Menlo Park offices will have slightly different RTO experiences.

Starting February 2, I’m asking everyone in my rollup based in a US office with assigned desks to come back full time (five days a week). The specifics:

• You’ll still have the flexibility to work from home when you need to, since I recognize there will be times you won’t be able to come into the office. I trust you all to use your best judgment in figuring out how to adapt to this schedule.

Mosseri’s note is a good example of RTO comms because rather than leading with the RTO mandate at the top, he hedges his message within the company’s culture. This helps frame RTO as a point of cultural strength, rather than a point of restriction for employees. Additionally, Mosseri’s language places some agency in the hands of employees in the RTO process. With sentences calling out the fact that some employees will still need to work at home sometimes and acknowledging trust from leadership to employees, Mosseri’s memo strikes a good balance between firmness of expectations while still allowing employees the autonomy to make decisions for themselves.

3. Report: Generative AI is making people talk to their colleagues less

A recent report from The Adaptavist Group found that AI is definitively affecting the way the workplace communicates. The data revealed that 32% of people reported speaking to their colleagues less because of generative AI. Moreover, the study found that 48% of respondents said they were using AI for legal or policy matters at work, with 41% using it for HR-related purposes.

Communications need to be on the front lines of driving the message home that some conversations about policies or other people-centric issues are better handled person-to-person. That could prove to be a big culture preserver, especially in a workplace that’s more virtual and automated than ever.

Additionally, comms pros should work with managers to form scripts for team-level conversations on AI use expectations. These talks can reinforce cultural expectations of collaboration between employees while also giving managers an insight into how generative AI can actually help their teams. AI can be a great productivity tool — but it can’t replace real connection and collaboration on the job. Communicators can help maintain those ties by keeping responsible AI-use messaging accessible.

4. How about some good news?

• One of the late Pope Francis’s popemobiles has been converted into a mobile clinic for children in Gaza.
• A deposit return system that encourages recycling in Romania has boosted its uptake rate to 94% across the country.
• 46,000 knitted mice were donated to over 300 cat rescue centers across the UK, setting a world record.
• 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.