Employers Are Seen as an Anchor of Stability and Trust in Uncertain Times

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Employers Are Seen as an Anchor of Stability and Trust in Uncertain Times

13 March 2025 / Article

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Our post-election roundtable on internal communications found that employees are looking to their employer for reassurance during times of rapid change and uncertainty (see Figure 1). A roundtable discussion during our 2025 Corporate Communications Conference echoed this insight, highlighting the importance of leadership and culture in shepherding the company through unsettling times.

Key Insights

Effectively navigating uncertainty is a critical leadership challenge. Communications teams must manage the constant flow of information and advise the CEO on whether and how to respond to specific policy actions and other developments. Roundtable participants say that uncertainty can be managed through authentic leadership and a strong organizational culture, offering specific examples of how to achieve this.

The employer is a stabilizing force. Employees rely on their employer to be an anchor of stability and a source of trust during uncertain political and economic times.

Authentic, transparent leadership increases trust. CEOs and other leaders who acknowledge we are in stressful times can offer employees reassurance that the company is there for them, which can provide employees with a sense of comfort. The human connection with an employer’s leadership or a sense of proximity ac

Author

Denise Dahlhoff, PhD

Director, Marketing & Communications Research
The Conference Board

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