Several gaps exist between what leaders communicate and what employees experience, leading to issues with company alignment, engagement and performance, according to an Axios HQ report.
For instance, 27% of leaders think their staff are entirely aligned with their organization’s business goals, yet only 9% of employees agree.
“Data shows a direct correlation between how effective an organization’s internal communications are and how aligned its employees stay,” according to the Axios report. “And when alignment breaks down, leaders say they see more team conflicts.”
In a survey of more than 450 executives and 800 employees across the U.S., 79% of employees said the quality of communication they receive from leaders has an impact on how well they understand organizational goals. In addition, 72% said how well they understand those goals affects how engaged they are at work.
Although 73% of leaders think employees can easily find the goals, strategies and directives that executives have shared with them, only 49% of employees agree.
Leaders pointed to scaling decisions as one of their biggest challenges for 2025; 41% said addressing the safe adoption of artificial intelligence tools in the workplace will be difficult, and 29% said it’ll be tough to discuss hiring and team structure decisions.
Overall, the most effective communication strategies include a strong vision, leaders who listen to their teams and a priority on information that helps workers do their jobs, the report found.
Poor communication and a lack of transparency can prevent workers from thriving, according to a report from the Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership. The research, focused on women’s experience at work, found that addressing these barriers can improve performance and culture for all workers.
Current confusion at the federal level, primarily driven by the Department of Government Efficiency, provides an example of “what happens when communication is sporadic and uncoordinated,” wrote Shelby Bocharski, a human resources administrative coordinator at Real Estate Support Systems. As a bridge between leaders and workers, HR pros must advocate for clarity, she said.
HR teams can work to collect authentic feedback, too, according to a SurveyMonkey report, which found that HR and employees don’t see eye to eye on engagement. The success of HR is linked to a company’s “willingness to foster an open environment that supports honesty and advocacy,” the report found.
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Leaders and employees don’t always align, but a strong vision and feedback strategy can mend the rift.