You can design the best HR strategy, introduce brilliant benefits, or roll out an important change - but if people do not understand it, engage with it, or take action, none of it matters. That is why employee communication sits right at the heart of your impact in HR. In this episode of HR Coffee Time, Fay is joined by Nik Nawaaz, Head of Employee Communications at Barnett Waddingham (now part of Howden) to unpack exactly how HR professionals can communicate in a way that builds trust, gets buy-in, and encourages people to take action - whether that is using their benefits, completing an engagement survey, preparing for a performance review, or navigating organisational change. With over 20 years of experience in employee communications, Nik shares practical, immediately actionable advice — no jargon, no fluff. In This Episode, You’ll Learn:Why employee communication is the “connective tissue” of an organisationWhy HR can sometimes feel like a faceless department - and how to change thatThe common mistake HR professionals make when writing employee communicationsWhy your message needs to answer “So what?” within the first few secondsHow to shift from explaining features to showing benefitsWhy phrases like “HR is pleased to announce” or “Please be advised” can stop people engagingHow to make your communication feel more human, conversational and directWhy reading your message aloud can help you spot corporate languageHow to use Microsoft Word’s read-aloud feature to improve scripts and written communicationWhy a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works for benefits communicationHow to tailor messages for different groups and generations in your workforceWhy line managers are so important when you want messages to landHow a simple manager toolkit can make communication more effectiveWhy listening for the first five minutes of a meeting can help build trustHow to communicate during times of fear, uncertainty and changeWhy silence can lead people to create their own “horror story”How to be honest when you do not yet have all the answersWhy storytelling and real-world proof can be more persuasive than project updatesWhy employee communication needs support from across the organisation - not just HR Chapters00:00 - When great HR work goes unnoticed 03:24 - What employee comms really means 04:20 - Why HR can feel "faceless" — and how to fix it 06:19 - The #1 mistake: writing for yourself, not your audience 08:49 - Quick win: delete your opening line 09:49 - Drop the corporate speak — write like a human 11:35 - The Word trick that makes your writing sound natural 13:04 - How to get people to actually use their benefits 17:30 - Tailoring messages for different generations 20:58 - Line managers as your communication allies 22:59 - The "First Five" technique 24:01 - Communicating through change and uncertainty 25:58 - Use storytelling, not project updates 28:06 - Resource recommendation: Simon Sinek's Golden Circle Useful LinksConnect with Fay on LinkedInLearn about Fay’s Essential HR PlannerLearn about Fay’s Inspiring HR Leadership ProgrammeTake Fay’s free HR Leadership Impact Assessment.Connect with Nik (Nikolas) Nawaaz on LinkedInFind out more about Barnett Waddingham’s employee communications workWatch Simon Sinek’s TED Talk: How Great Leaders Inspire Action Helpful Episode to Listen to NextIf you enjoyed this episode and would like more support with writing clear, effective communication at work, listen to: 🎧 Ep 32: How to write work emails that get results, with Kim Arnold Kim shares brilliant advice that complements Nik’s tips in this episode, especially if you want to make your emails clearer, more persuasive and easier for people to act on. Enjoyed This Episode? Don’t Miss the Next One!Sign up for the free weekly HR Coffee Time email to be notified each time a new episode is released – and get free career tips, tools, and resources. Mentioned in this episode: Inspiring HR Leadership Programme Starts in June Learn more about The Inspiring HR Leadership Programme. Inspiring HR Help That’s There when It’s Needed Most Menopause, grief, ADHD, relationship breakdown... Every day, employees dealing with these situations are turned away by their EAP because they don't qualify for counselling. When someone finally asks for help, they deserve better. Visit Kara Connect, where no employee is ever turned away. Kara Connect
