How can your employees support your strategy if they don’t know the destination?

If employees aren’t clear on where the business is heading, how can they help get it there or contribute ideas to move it forward?

According to the 2024 IC Index, almost one in five employees were not clear on their organisation’s strategy or how their performance could contribute to it. That’s hardly surprising when, according Harvard Business School only 28% of execs and managers can list their organisation’s top three strategic priorities.

Have we got lost in jargon and over-complication to the point where we’ve lost the golden thread? Or is the world moving so fast that yesterday’s strategy is no longer relevant, and we’re all simply trying to keep up?

Whatever is causing this disconnect, the result is the same. Strategies don’t fail because they’re wrong, they fail because they’re misunderstood.

This is where communication comes in. Effective and impactful communication can translate strategy into something meaningful and memorable for employees to get behind.

If strategy is the destination, communication is the map

A quick way to find out how well you’re communicating your strategy might be to choose a handful of randomly selected cross-functional and frontline employees and ask them to describe what your business is trying to achieve in one sentence. Then ask how their own role, work and performance contributes to that goal. And if you’re feeling brave, ask when they last thought of a way the business could get there quicker – and who they told.

Want to dig a bit deeper?
Take our Roadmap diagnostic – designed for internal comms professionals who want to understand what’s landing and where their strategy comms might need a boost. It only takes a couple of minutes and gives you tailored insight plus practical next steps.

Try the Roadmap Diagnostic

We see the impact of clarity every day through our THRIVE methodology – our framework for helping organisations build fairer, healthier and happier workplaces through better communication. One of its six pillars is Roadmap – focused entirely on how people connect with your organisation’s direction and understand their role in getting there. If you’re struggling to make your strategy stick, this is a good place to start. Read more about THRIVE.

Need to build clarity and momentum around your strategy?

Exceptional workplace cultures don’t happen by chance, they’re built through intentional, inclusive and inspiring communication.

We can help you:

• Set your strategy up for success by developing a clear narrative with compelling language and simple, memorable stories
• Launch it with impact through creative internal campaigns that get people engaged from day one
• Keep it alive through behaviour change, leadership alignment and consistent, embedded communication

If you’re looking to scale up how you communicate your strategy and direction, there are three ways we can support you:

Activator – Have a story you need to tell? We help simplify complex ideas, shape strong narratives and build campaigns that bring everyone with you. Book a call to discuss your brief.

Pathfinder – Struggling for budget but need direction? Join our community of passionate changemakers and access free guides, tools and events. Sign up to join Work Wonders here.

Co-creator – Already have an in-house team or agency but need fresh thinking? Tap into our advisory services to bring in external perspective and energy. Let’s talk about your challenges, book a call here.