Despite the steady stream of emails, updates and intranet posts, too many colleagues still feel unheard and disconnected from those leading them. Our latest IC Index 2025, developed with Ipsos Karian & Box, shows how wide that gap has become. Only 13% of UK employees rate their organisation’s internal communication with top marks of 10/10.

That lack of connection isn’t a small problem. When people stop feeling heard, trust breaks down, and when trust goes, performance follows.

For housing associations facing complex pressures from regulation, rising costs and changing resident expectations, this matters more than ever. If your people aren’t connected, progress will always be harder to achieve.

Why Communication Needs to Come First

I believe deeply in a comms-first mindset. It’s means putting communication at the heart of leadership and culture, not treating it as an add-on or afterthought.

People don’t necessarily want more communication; they want better communication. They want leaders who are visible, open and empathetic. In fact, 82% of employees say they understand strategy better when they hear directly from the CEO.

You can have the smartest plans and the best systems, but if your communication doesn’t feel human, it won’t connect. A comms-first culture starts with curiosity, compassion and the willingness to listen before speaking.

Leading Change with Empathy

In housing, change never stops. We talk about transformation, reform and restructuring, but too often treat change as a process to manage rather than a human experience to understand.

For change to succeed, people need an emotional reason to believe in it. Leaders must make the why as meaningful as the what. That takes honesty, humility and presence.

When leaders communicate with authenticity and openness, trust grows. People rarely remember the slide deck, but they always remember how you made them feel.

From Words to Action

Internal communication isn’t a soft skill; it’s a leadership behaviour that drives trust, alignment and engagement.

The IC Index shows that when organisations act on feedback, nine in ten employees would recommend them as great places to work. When feedback is ignored, that number drops to 23%. Culture isn’t what’s written on the walls; it’s how leaders respond when people speak up.

A comms-first culture builds that sense of trust and belonging. It gives people confidence to share ideas, ask questions and celebrate wins. When colleagues feel seen and valued, they stay engaged. When they don’t, no amount of messaging can fix it.

Looking Ahead

For housing organisations, communication has a unique human power. It can rebuild trust, inspire collaboration and drive lasting change.

As we look to 2026 and beyond, the organisations that thrive will be those where communication is a leadership behaviour, where every conversation from boardroom to frontline begins with empathy and ends with understanding. You can’t lead what you don’t understand, and people can’t follow what they don’t hear.

I’m looking forward to continuing this conversation at the National Housing Federation’s Comms & Influencing in Housing 2026 conference, where I’ll join a roundtable exploring how communication can become the catalyst for trust, connection and lasting change across our sector.