Every company has a voice. The real question is whether your employees actually hear it.

WHY “SPEAKING EMPLOYEE” MATTERS

Right now, many don’t. Only about 31% of U.S. employees report being engaged at work; one of the lowest levels in over a decade.¹ Low engagement isn’t noise; it’s an organizational risk.

That’s the gap: leaders speak strategy, employees hear corporate. When messages don’t land, culture leaks out along with trust and performance.

At LaineGabriel, we call this the translation problem.

You speak strategy. We speak employee.

WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO “SPEAK EMPLOYEE”

Speaking employee isn’t soft; it’s smart. It’s designing communication so it:

• Makes sense (clear language, no jargon)

• Feels real (what it means for real people, in real roles)

• Shows action (what to do next, not just what’s changing)

When communication is clear, memorable, and actionable, it sticks and performance follows. Research from Harvard Business Review finds organizations that modernize internal communication improve alignment, trust, and productivity.² Forbes consistently links strong internal communication to higher retention and engagement.³

THE COST OF NOT TRANSLATING

Ineffective internal communication quietly drains performance. Studies estimate thousands of dollars lost per employee per year due to miscommunication.⁴ Gallup correlates low engagement with higher turnover, safety incidents, and lower profitability.⁵

Poor communication doesn’t just hurt culture—it hurts outcomes.

FOUR WAYS TO START SPEAKING EMPLOYEE (RIGHT NOW)

1) Translate before you send

Can a frontline employee explain this in three sentences?

• What’s changing?

• Why does it matter?

• What do I do today?

2) Put real people in the story

Employees trust stories from people like them more than generic claims. Use “day-in-the-life,” leader explainers, and role-specific examples.⁶

3) Repeat through the channels they actually use

Email alone won’t do it. Reinforce through video, intranet, huddles, and leader toolkits. Repetition builds memory.⁶

4) Measure understanding, not just send volume

Open rates don’t equal clarity. Track recall, sentiment, and behavior change.⁷

HOW WE HELP

At LaineGabriel, we translate. We help you:

• Turn strategy into stories employees feel

• Build EVPs and internal brands people believe

• Design campaigns, events, and systems that speak employee (not corporate)

• Measure what matters; clarity, connection, and results

Your culture isn’t built on slides. It’s built on people.

You speak strategy. We speak employee. Together, your culture makes sense.

FOOTNOTES

1.Gallup. U.S. Employee Engagement Sinks to 11-Year Low.

2.Harvard Business Review / Axios. Why Overhauling Internal Communications Could Be Your Greatest Revenue Driver.

3.Forbes Business Council. Internal Communication Strategies for Boosting Employee Engagement.

4.Axios HQ. Cost of Ineffective Internal Communication.

5.Gallup. State of the American Workplace / Improve Employee Engagement.

6.Firstup. Better Internal Communications: Now Is the Time.

7.YourThoughtPartner. Measuring Internal Communications.