Change feels relentless right now. Economic uncertainty. Workplace transformation. Technologies reshaping how work gets done. And growing family pressures. The struggle to find balance is a lot.
In times like these, even well-crafted employee communications can fall flat if they only deliver facts. To gain the attention and trust of your people, you sometimes need to communicate on a more personal level. That’s where storytelling comes in.
When organizations go through change, communication often becomes more frequent, but not necessarily more effective. Gallup found that only 13 percent of employees strongly agree that their organization's leadership communicates effectively with the rest of the organization, highlighting the challenge of cutting through uncertainty with messages that truly resonate with employees already under strain. Segal Benz research shows that 62 percent of employees report increased anxiety and unease, and nearly one in four say their employer communicates ineffectively.
The takeaway: More messages won’t solve the problem. Better connections will. Stories can help people understand not just what is happening, but why it matters and what it means for them.
Storytelling works because it feels human and personal, and it can help build trust.
According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, 79 percent of employees trust their employer overall, but that trust varies widely. Frontline employees are more likely to trust coworkers than senior leaders, while executives are 2.7 times more likely to trust their CEO than those same frontline employees. That gap matters.
A benefits announcement from HR may be clear, but a coworker saying, "This program helped me through a difficult year," lands differently. And a polished leadership message might be informative, but a leader sharing, "I didn’t realize how hard caregiving would be until I went through it myself," builds credibility and empathy.
Stories make communication more interesting and real, and when that happens, trust builds.
Effective storytelling doesn’t require long, elaborate narratives. The most powerful approaches are often simple and human-centric.
Short, authentic quotes can carry enormous weight:
These words create relatability, reduce hesitation and motivate people to take action.
A more complete narrative might follow an employee through three phases: identifying the challenge (juggling caregiving, finances, or health), sharing the turning point (discovering a benefit or resource), and arriving at an outcome — a tangible improvement in well-being. Storytelling can drive meaningful action, from improved health behaviors to stronger program participation.
Leaders shape what feels acceptable. When they share personal experiences — burnout, parenting challenges, financial stress — they normalize action and reinforce priorities. Leaders who share stories build more credibility than the ones who stay abstract. Gallup Research shows that managers account for at least 70 percent of the variance in employee engagement, making their communication style a critical driver of impact.
A human-first approach that leads with consideration and compassion contributes to organizational trust, even in times of change and technological advancement and disruption. The throughline is clear: empathy, context, and clarity are practical tools for helping people navigate change.
A two-minute employee video about using mental health resources can often accomplish more than an entire written campaign. Short videos featuring real employees or leaders bring emotion and authenticity to life in ways text simply can’t.
Brevity can be powerful. Consider the power of what these six words communicate:
Imagine those words next to an employee’s photo with the contact information for the featured resource highlighted and a QR code that quickly connects you to available support. It can be quite powerful.
Fictional but realistic characters — Maya, a new parent, or Chris, planning for retirement — translate complexity into everyday decisions. Personas are especially useful for explaining benefits or guiding employees through change. Use personas to bring a benefits program to life and show how it can support key personal or work moments.
The real power of storytelling is behavioral. Facts inform, but stories motivate. When communications connect emotionally, employees are more likely to engage with benefits and resources, trust leadership intent, adopt new behaviors, and see themselves as part of the organization’s future.
In times of disruption, that connection becomes a competitive advantage.
When you want to implement storytelling within your organization:
Organizations navigating change don’t need to add more noise for their people. They need more meaningful communication. Stories cut through noise, create understanding, and help people see themselves in what comes next. When employees can see their place in the story, they’re far more likely to believe in it — and act on it.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax or investment advice. You are encouraged to discuss the issues raised here with your legal, tax and other advisors before determining how the issues apply to your specific situations.