Apr 23, 2025
Forget the Buzzwords: The Art of Plain Speak in Change Communications
If we hear the words “streamline”, “synergy” or “unlock our potential” one more time… Let’s just say you’ll wish you never swallowed that dictionary. Corporate jargon is everywhere. Scrolling through your LinkedIn feed feels like a minefield of buzzwords, and at work our emails are flooded with big words the corporate comms team thinks sound impressive. But employees don’t engage with slick messages in change communications; they engage when they understand how change will impact them and their day-to-day roles. It’s time to move beyond corporate speak and communicate change in a way that actually sticks. Here’s how!
1. Stop Sugarcoating
How many times have you seen a polished but vague statement from leadership which seems deliberately worded to soften the impact of change? Rather than making you feel reassured, it only leaves you even more uncertain than before.
Employees don’t want to be wrapped in cotton wool, they want the truth. If leaders fail to provide clear, honest communication, people will fill in the gaps with whispers and rumours. Trust is crucial when it comes to change communications, and trust is built through transparency - not spin.
2. Lean Into Two-Way Conversations
Most change communication talks at employees instead of with them. But your employees aren’t robots - they are real people who have opinions, ideas and feelings.
Ditching the top-down approach for real, two-way conversations makes employees feel like part of the change, rather than just spectators on the sideline. People engage more when they feel heard and involved - a win-win for your change initiative.
For our client’s change project, we included a leadership Q&A in the kick-off meeting, giving people a chance to ask their burning questions and get answers in real time.
3. Write the Way You Speak
We are streamlining, aligning, leveraging, operationalising, circling back and finding the low hanging fruit… But what are we really saying? The secret sauce to communicating change effectively is to write the way you speak. In other words, cut the BS!
The more simple and clear the language, the more likely your employees are going to take it in. Ditch the long-winded sentences and corporate jargon - people will take one look and their eyes will gloss over. And to make technical content real, relatable and understandable, a metaphor goes a long way.
For one of our clients, we communicated their digital transformation to a single, integrated platform as a story of four travellers setting sail towards a shared destination.
4. Real Leaders Walk the Talk
Nothing breaks trust faster than leaders who say one thing but do another. If you think your employees aren’t paying close attention to how your leadership follows through on their words, think again.
To bring real change to life, you need to make sure the message matches the actions, otherwise scepticism will build, and people will check out.
Find ways to show that your leaders are the first to adopt the new tools - for example, using them in meetings or sharing updates on the organisation-wide chat.
Talk Less, Do More
Corporate jargon is the easy way out. Real change communication takes more effort, but it actually works. Employees don’t need another “strategic roadmap for transformation.” They need clear messages, real action and honesty.
Ready to keep it real? Get in touch for a free call!