Years ago, I supported the restructuring of a large German mid-sized company. It employed 40,000 people, more than half of them in Germany across multiple locations. As part of the change, sites were reassigned under new board leadership. For some employees, this meant relocating.
Our mission: Prepare both the board and the works council to communicate the restructuring at all locations simultaneously—with identical wording, clarity, and empathy. Importantly, we were asked to critically assess the concept from an external perspective. Six weeks before “Day X,” we began shaping the communication strategy.
Several coordination rounds followed with corporate communications, the executive board, and the works council. Shortly before Day X, two-day communication training sessions for board members and works council representatives were held in parallel across all sites, facilitated by multiple trainers.
The goal was clear: Prevent early information leaks, avoid speculation, and ensure that employees received accurate, transparent communication.
The strategy worked. The simultaneous company-wide meetings and open, empathetic communication were well-received. Employees felt informed and respected. The restructuring succeeded—because the communication succeeded.
But unfortunately, this is not the norm.
Why Most Change Projects Fail: Communication Is Often the Weak Link
A striking 70% of change initiatives fail to meet their goals, according to a 2023 McKinsey study. Surprisingly, the root cause is not poor planning or strategy—it’s flawed communication.
When communication falters, it erodes employee trust, stakeholder confidence, and public credibility. Leadership effectiveness suffers. Let’s take a look at the most common communication pitfalls during corporate change:
3 Critical Communication Mistakes During Change
-
Lack of Transparency
A high-profile example is SAP’s shift to cloud-based services in 2019/2020. The company failed to communicate the rationale behind the transformation clearly, resulting in uncertainty and frustration. According to Handelsblatt (2020), employee motivation dropped significantly, and public perception turned negative.
Photo: Adobe Stock
-
Lack of Employee Involvement
At Continental, a major wave of job cuts beginning in 2019 sparked intense internal resistance. Workers felt excluded from the process and responded with widespread protests. Manager Magazin reported that this not only damaged internal morale but also harmed the company’s employer branding. -
No Clear Vision
Siemens initially stumbled during its 2018/2019 restructuring due to a lack of a clearly communicated vision. Only after leadership shifted to transparent, open messaging did employee support increase markedly (Wirtschaftswoche, 2019).
How to Communicate Change Successfully: Bosch as a Best-Practice Example
Bosch took a different path during its digital transformation. From the outset, the company prioritized transparent, two-way communication. Regular town hall meetings and interactive platforms created space for dialogue and engagement. This strategy fostered motivation—and led to a successful transformation (Deloitte, 2022).
Photo: Adobe Stock
The 3 Pillars of Effective Change Communication
-
Clarity and Transparency
Communicate early, openly, and honestly. -
Employee Involvement
Empower employees to co-create the change process. -
Continuous Dialogue
Use interactive communication formats to build trust and engagement.
Ready to Lead Change Successfully?
If you’re ready to rethink how your organization communicates change and want to empower your workforce throughout the transformation, we are here to help.
Together, we’ll establish communication practices that foster trust, increase engagement, and boost public support.
Let’s design a successful change journey together.
Because communication is leadership—and leadership creates the future.
👉 Book a free consultation with Dr. Nikolai A. Behr today:
☎️ Phone: 0700 CALL-BEHR
📧 Email: office@medientraining-institut.de
Nikolai A. Behr
Cover photo: Adobe Stock
