In this episode of Frequency, Jenni and Chuck dig into another week of stories shaping workplace culture, leadership and internal comms. They kick off with the latest research on “culture rot,” where only 14% of employees feel aligned to their company values - and they discuss what that says about credibility, trust and how organisations communicate who they really are.

They also get into some new data showing gossip continues to outpace HR during layoffs, raising tough questions about transparency, timing and the human impact of change. Jenni shares insights from the Gallagher Digital Experience Summit, including the rising issue of digital stress, the reality of AI maturity, and why productivity isn’t as measurable as leaders think.

The conversation wraps with a look at America’s shifting relationship with work — and what it means when more people see their role as “just a job.”

Articles mentioned in this episode:

• “Culture rot” hits UK workplaces — most people feel misaligned
• Gossip beats HR in layoff announcements
• Americans’ Long Love/Hate Relationship With Work

🎶 Theme music for Frequency is “Blessed Be the Weary," produced by Poet Ali. You can find the track on Spotify, Apple Music, and wherever you stream music. We're grateful to Poet for setting the tone with his powerful, reflective sound.

In this episode of Frequency, hosts Chuck Gose and Jenni Field discuss the importance of in-person gatherings, the concept of long-haul leadership, and the challenges of hybrid work environments.

The conversation covers two favorite topics - hybrid work and leadership, discussing the fact that rules about days in office will never outperform rituals that help teams do the right work in the right way. The surprising truth about the engagement of managers is uncovered and the link that has to recognition in the workplace.

The pair debate the dangers of narrowing and specialising in your comms career and they tackle the important topic of productivity and exhaustion - and why listening is the answer.

Articles and links related to this episode

From Exhaustion to Empowerment: The Meaningful Productivity Report (Forty1)

Hybrid Work Is Not the Problem — Poor Leadership Is (MIT Sloan Management Review)

Employees Say Only 59% of Leaders Are Actively Engaged (Nectar)

Public relations • communications strategy • career growth (Michelle Frith on LinkedIn)

Books mentioned in this episode:

Long Haul Leader by Chris Ducker: https://longhaulleader.com/book/

Slow Productivity by Cal Newport: https://calnewport.com/my-new-book-slow-productivity/

Cues by Vanesss Van Edwards: https://www.scienceofpeople.com/cues/

Busy by Tony Crabbe: https://tonycrabbe.com/books/

Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Talieb - https://a.co/d/8wSDUKO

🎶 Theme music for Frequency is “Blessed Be the Weary," produced by Poet Ali. You can find the track on Spotify, Apple Music, and wherever you stream music. We're grateful to Poet for setting the tone with his powerful, reflective sound.

In this episode, Chuck Gose and Jenni Field dig into the latest report into the value of internal communication. It’s a report authored by Jenni with Dr Kevin Ruck and published by the Internal Comms Research Hub. They go on to debate the role of HR inside organizations and tackle the big question of the purpose of workplaces in general. Middle managers are back on the agenda and this time discussing what we can learn from the history of the 1990’s reengineering approach. The episode wraps up with a discussion about a new report into female entrepreneurship and the systemic issues impacting women in the workplace.

Articles and reports in this episode:

• The value of internal comms
• How HR took over British business and got in the way of actual work
• Bonfire of the middle managers
• Female Entrepreneurship
• Missing Women Report

🎶 Theme music for Frequency is “Blessed Be the Weary," produced by Poet Ali. You can find the track on Spotify, Apple Music, and wherever you stream music. We're grateful to Poet for setting the tone with his powerful, reflective sound.