Authentic Communication with Sally Pritchett
Mon Feb 02 2026
Lucinda discusses the critical importance of employee communication with Sally Pritchett, CEO of Something Big, a creative communications agency.
Sally shares her insights on the evolving landscape of workplace communication, the challenges of information overload and the changing expectations of employees who seek transparency and authenticity from their leaders. They also explore the significance of trust in organisations, the need for two-way dialogue rather than one-sided communication, and the role of HR in fostering a culture of engagement
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Effective employee communication is crucial in today's workplace, where employees expect to be engaged and informed about the organisation's purpose and values, rather than just being told what to do.
Transparency and authenticity in communication are essential for fostering trust between leaders and employees. Leaders should acknowledge uncertainties and focus on the organisation's core values to provide stability during challenging times.
Organisations should prioritise genuine conversations over monologue-style communication. Engaging employees in dialogue can lead to better understanding and collaboration, rather than simply broadcasting messages.
The choice of language in communication can significantly impact employee perception. Using inclusive and relatable language helps employees feel acknowledged and valued, while jargon or corporate speak can create disconnect and distrust.
BEST MOMENTS
"We need to bring people on the journey. They don't just come because we gave them a job and we're paying them at the end of the month."
"I think the best thing [leaders] can do is to say, we don't have a crystal ball. We don't have the answers to what the future looks like."
"If you keep telling your kids to stop bickering, what you get is more bickering. Look at what is the main conversation going on in your business."
"Treating employees like adults is an absolute must, in my opinion. I think that's often where we fail."
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Something Big - https://somethingbig.co.uk/our-story/
The HR Uprising Podcast | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher
The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group
How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)
How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney
HR Uprising Mastermind - https://hruprising.com/mastermind/
www.changesuperhero.com
www.hruprising.com
Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at info@actus.co.uk
CONTACT SALLY
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/somethingbig/
ABOUT THE HOST
Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together.
“If you look up, you rise up”
CONTACT METHOD
Join the LinkedIn community - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/
Email: Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/
Twitter: @lucindacarney
Instagram: @hruprising
Facebook: @hruprising
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
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Lucinda discusses the critical importance of employee communication with Sally Pritchett, CEO of Something Big, a creative communications agency. Sally shares her insights on the evolving landscape of workplace communication, the challenges of information overload and the changing expectations of employees who seek transparency and authenticity from their leaders. They also explore the significance of trust in organisations, the need for two-way dialogue rather than one-sided communication, and the role of HR in fostering a culture of engagement KEY TAKEAWAYS Effective employee communication is crucial in today's workplace, where employees expect to be engaged and informed about the organisation's purpose and values, rather than just being told what to do. Transparency and authenticity in communication are essential for fostering trust between leaders and employees. Leaders should acknowledge uncertainties and focus on the organisation's core values to provide stability during challenging times. Organisations should prioritise genuine conversations over monologue-style communication. Engaging employees in dialogue can lead to better understanding and collaboration, rather than simply broadcasting messages. The choice of language in communication can significantly impact employee perception. Using inclusive and relatable language helps employees feel acknowledged and valued, while jargon or corporate speak can create disconnect and distrust. BEST MOMENTS "We need to bring people on the journey. They don't just come because we gave them a job and we're paying them at the end of the month." "I think the best thing [leaders] can do is to say, we don't have a crystal ball. We don't have the answers to what the future looks like." "If you keep telling your kids to stop bickering, what you get is more bickering. Look at what is the main conversation going on in your business." "Treating employees like adults is an absolute must, in my opinion. I think that's often where we fail." VALUABLE RESOURCES Something Big - https://somethingbig.co.uk/our-story/ The HR Uprising Podcast | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising) How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney HR Uprising Mastermind - https://hruprising.com/mastermind/ www.changesuperhero.com www.hruprising.com Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at info@actus.co.uk CONTACT SALLY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/somethingbig/ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/ Email: Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/