4 certainties for 2025 to anchor your IC and EX strategy

Y’all, let’s talk about 2025. I know what you’re thinking — another year of trying to predict the unpredictable, right? Between the AI revolution happening in real time, budgets that keep getting trimmer, and our teams still processing more stress than a pressure cooker, it’s enough to make any IC or EX professional’s head spin.

But here’s the thing — after 20+ years in this field, I’ve learned that even in the wildest times, some truths hold steady as a rock. So, let’s skip the crystal ball and focus on what we know will matter in 2025 for sure.

4 trends for internal comms and employee experience

Internal comms and employee experience are evolving rapidly, and staying ahead means recognizing what’s changing and why it matters. What worked last year might already feel outdated, and new challenges are constantly emerging. 

That’s why keeping a pulse on current trends is critical for staying relevant and delivering real value to your people. Here are four key trends shaping the way we connect, communicate and engage in 2025.

1. Real transparency is your secret weapon

Let me tell you about a moment that changed everything I thought I knew about transparency. It was a crisp fall morning, and I was sitting in my favorite coffee shop when my phone lit up with a message from a deeply frustrated employee.

Her company was going through what leadership called a “strategic realignment.” They thought they were being clever by keeping things quiet until everything was “perfect.” But let me tell you what perfect got them: three weeks of productivity-killing whispers, their best talent quietly updating LinkedIn profiles, and trust evaporating faster than sweet tea on a July sidewalk.

What hit me hardest was when she said, “Carolyn, I don’t even need to know everything. I just need to know something real.”

Here’s the truth, plain and simple: Your people can handle hard news. What they can’t handle is silence and spin.

Real transparency isn’t about overwhelming folks with every detail. Think of it like serving a good meal — you want to give people what they need to feel satisfied and cared for, not dump the entire pantry on the table.

Here’s what real transparency looks like:

• Share what you know when you know it. Even if it’s just saying, “Here’s what we know today, and here’s when we expect to know more.”
• Get comfortable saying “I don’t know yet.” It builds more trust than a perfectly polished non-answer.
• Match your words and actions like a well-coordinated outfit. Consistency isn’t just about what you say — it’s about what you do.

Trust me — answering these questions upfront will save you countless follow-up emails and watercooler conversations. When in doubt, I go back to my team’s charter: Have empathy, advocate for those who can’t, and tell the truth. Don’t have a mission? Use this purpose worksheet to create one you can come back to time and time again.

Related: Unpacking employee experience to build trust in the workplace

2. Authenticity isn’t just nice — it’s necessary

Let’s have a heart-to-heart about authenticity. With AI churning out content faster than my Marmie’s flatbread obsession, there’s a temptation to automate everything. And don’t get me wrong — I love using AI to streamline my work. But here’s what 20+ years in communications have taught me: People can smell manufactured messages from a mile away. They don’t want perfect — they want real.

Making it real in 2025:

• When you mess up (and we all do), own it. I once sent an all-staff email with the wrong date for a major event. Instead of trying to sweep it under the rug, I sent a follow-up that started with, “Well, folks, I sure did get that one wrong!” The response? People appreciated the humanity of it.
• Put yourself in your people’s shoes. If you’re announcing changes, acknowledge the impact. Saying something as simple as “I know this means rethinking how you’ve done things for a while” shows you get it.
• Use AI like a sous chef, not the head cook. Let it help with the prep work, but make sure the final message has your fingerprints all over it.

Related: The future of AI in employee communications: A personal journey

3. Your managers are the magic makers

Managers are the ones in the thick of it every day. They are the ones trying to translate big corporate visions into daily reality while keeping their teams engaged, productive and somewhat sane.

Your managers aren’t just message carriers — they’re the heartbeat of your employee experience.

I learned this lesson the hard way early in my career. We had this beautiful communication strategy, slick presentations — the works. But it all fell flat because we hadn’t equipped our managers to carry the message forward. It was like giving someone ingredients without a recipe and expecting a soufflé.

Real talk about supporting your managers:

• Skip the fancy leadership theories. Give them practical tools they can use today. One of my previous clients created five-minute video guides for handling tough conversations. Managers loved it because they could watch it right before a difficult meeting.
• Create manager support circles. This allows them to share real challenges and get real solutions. Some of the best ideas I’ve seen came from managers helping managers.
• Build a grab-and-go resource library. Quick scripts for common situations, conversation starters for one-on-ones, and simple ways to recognize team wins make it easy for busy managers to be good managers.

4. Making your budget work harder than yesterday’s coffee

Let’s be real — budgets aren’t getting any bigger. In fact, many of us are being asked to do more with less (a phrase I’ve come to hate!). But after years of navigating tight budgets, including some years where my entire budget was smaller than our coffee service, I’ve learned a few things about making every dollar count.

Strategic moves for protecting your budget:

• Connect your work to what keeps your leaders up at night. When I present to leadership, I always frame our work regarding retention savings, productivity gains, and engagement metrics. Numbers talk, and those numbers connect to revenue.
• Get ruthless about your tech stack. I recently helped a customer audit their tools and found they were paying for three platforms that did basically the same thing. That money went right back into high-impact programs.
• Document your wins like you’re building a case for court. Keep a running tally of how your work directly impacts business outcomes.

Related: ROI of IC: 4 steps to build a business case for better tech

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In the trenches: What really makes internal comms work

Let me share something that took me years of stumbles and successes to figure out. The real magic of internal communications isn’t in our fancy tools or perfectly crafted messages — it’s in three fundamental truths I’ve learned in the trenches.

1. It’s all about real humans

Listen, I don’t care how beautiful your PowerPoint is or how many leadership buzzwords you can fit in a sentence. If you’re not thinking about Maria in accounting who’s trying to understand a new system while juggling month-end close, or James in sales, who’s reading your update between customer calls, you’re missing the point entirely.

Here’s a golden rule: Get in, get out, and sprinkle some personality along the way. Your people are busy doing the actual work that keeps the lights on. Respect their time, but make it worth their while.

2. Be the champion your people need

Our job isn’t just to push out messages — it’s to be the voice for our people. Every time I sit in those leadership meetings (and there are a lot of them), I’m thinking about how decisions will impact our frontline workers, our remote teams, and our new hires who are still finding their footing.

Your job? Connect people to what they need to know when they need to know it. Sometimes that means being the one who raises their hand in a room full of executives and asks, “But how will this actually work for our people?”

Related: Humanize the workplace to achieve sustainable growth

3. Truth is your North Star

This one is nonnegotiable. Being the source of truth in your organization is like being the keeper of your grandmother’s secret recipe — it’s a responsibility you can’t take lightly. 

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to say, “I need to understand this better before we communicate it.” Here’s the truth about truth: if you’re sharing something you don’t fully understand, you’re just passing along confusion in a prettier package.

And let me tell you — once you lose trust with your people, no amount of fancy town halls or slick videos will win it back. Trust is like your mama’s good china — precious, valuable and real hard to replace if you break it.

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The heart of the matter

Listen, 2025 will throw us some curveballs — that’s just the nature of our work. But when you stay focused on these fundamentals — real transparency, genuine authenticity, supporting your managers, and being smart with resources — you’re building something that can weather any storm.

Remember, you’re not just pushing out messages. You’re building trust, creating clarity, and helping people find their place in your organization’s story. That’s not just important work — it’s sacred work.

So keep showing up, keep it real, and know that you’ve got this. And if you ever need a friendly ear or a bit of advice, you know where to find me.

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How Simpplr can help

As you gear up to tackle 2025, remember: you don’t have to do it alone. Simpplr is built for IC and EX pros like you — those navigating tight budgets, rapid changes, and the constant need to connect your people to what matters most. With Simpplr, you get more than just an employee experience platform — you get a partner.

From simplifying manager communications with quick actions to enabling transparency with real-time updates that build trust, Simpplr empowers you to deliver clarity and authenticity at scale. Plus, our unified solution ensures you can do more with less, cutting through the noise and giving your employees the tools and information they need, exactly when they need it.

Because at the end of the day, making work good so life is better isn’t just a tagline — it’s what we’re here to help you do. Let’s take on 2025 together.

Ready to find out how Simpplr can support your internal comms initiatives in 2025? Request a demo today!