Out of the fire and back to the panini grill 
Strong-rooted La Crosse business named finalist for manufacturing award
January 5, 2026
Instead of a team leader sending an update via an email or newsletter, imagine he or she shares a heartfelt video message, not just outlining company goals but reflecting on shared challenges and successes.
Employees feel genuinely valued and connected, fostering trust and engagement.
This approach, embraced by innovative companies, represents a new era in internal communication, where technology, like video updates, meets the timeless need for authentic, human connection.
The realm of internal communication is shifting, moving away from sporadic, formal evaluations and toward a more dynamic ecosystem where technology and humanity converge.
Staying ahead of this trend isn’t just about adopting new software – it’s about rethinking how we connect with our teams.
The most successful organizations in the new year will be those that can master the delicate balance between high-tech efficiency and high-touch leadership.
Real-time feedback
Today’s world offers real-time feedback.
We track our packages in real-time, instantly receive our lab results and communicate with friends across the globe in seconds.
But, in many workplaces, feedback is often delayed months behind performance.
Millennials and their younger Gen Z counterparts, who are used to this instant feedback, tend to find this delay increasingly frustrating.
Research indicates annual reviews or company surveys are being replaced by real-time feedback.
These tools are much more than survey platforms, offering integrated systems that allow for continuous, bite-sized communication.
Think of this as a project management tool that prompts a quick “kudos” after a task is completed, or a mobile app that allows a manager to send a 30-second video voice note of encouragement immediately after a client presentation.
Studies show that the sooner feedback is given, the more actionable it is.
Correcting a small error the day it happens prevents it from becoming a bad habit over time.
However, recognizing a win when it happens reinforces good behavior far more effectively than praise three months down the road at a quarterly one-to-one meeting.
For example, manufacturing companies can benefit immensely from providing real-time feedback to employees.
Instead of waiting for a quarterly meeting to address a bottleneck, frontline workers can flag issues and receive guidance instantly.
This agility can transform internal communication from a top-down message into a responsive, two-way dialogue.
‘The human context’
Speed isn’t everything, though – it’s just part of the feedback equation.
The more important part, and what drives employee retention, is the leadership team.
As artificial intelligence (AI) and automation handle more routine communication tasks, the premium on human connection is growing.
Employees don’t just want a boss who just approves their timesheets efficiently – they want leaders who see them as whole people.
Human-centered leadership rests on three pillars that are redefining corporate leadership in 2026: authenticity, empathy and accessibility.
The era of the “unapproachable executive” is fading.
Today’s workforce values leaders who are real.
They respect managers who can admit when they don’t have all the answers or who share their own learning curves.
The vulnerability in authenticity builds trust, and trust is the currency of internal communications.
When a leader speaks authentically, employees listen not because they have to, but because they believe in what is being said.
Though trust is earned with “real talk,” employee retention is earned with empathy.
Once considered a “soft skill,” empathy is no longer nice to have, but essential for companies in their leadership teams.
According to a study in Forbes, 57% of women said they were unlikely to think of leaving their companies when they felt their life circumstances were respected and valued by their employer.
Conversely, if they didn’t feel that level of empathy, only 14% of women would stay with that employer.
Understanding the unique pressures your team faces, whether it’s childcare challenges, financial stress or healthcare struggles, allows you to communicate in a way that lands.
Empathetic communication isn’t about solving every personal problem – it’s about acknowledging the human context of work, and it’s more important now than ever before.
My door is always open
Understanding the human side of work is irreplaceable, but the last piece to great leadership communication is accessibility.
An open-door policy used to mean literally leaving your office door open, but in a hybrid work environment, accessibility means being responsive across various channels without being “always on.”
It means leaders actively participating in the same digital spaces as their teams.
This includes responding to comments on the company’s intranet or checking in with individual team members, whether through video platforms or in person, to stay aware of workloads or personal challenges.
The true impact lies at the intersection of real-time feedback tools and human-centric leadership.
Real-time feedback tools provide data that can alert a leader that a high-performing employee is disengaged.
Instead of issuing a resignation letter, an empathetic leader uses that data to initiate a genuine and supportive conversation with that employee.
Let’s use a scenario at a healthcare facility to illustrate this point.
A real-time survey might reveal that nursing staff on a specific floor feel overwhelmed by new scheduling software.
A human-centered leader won’t just send an email explaining the software again.
They will visit the floor, listen to the specific frustrations of the nurses, validate the team’s feelings and find a training solution that works for everyone.
In this example, the technology identified the friction, but the leader provided the empathetic solution.
When companies embrace technology with an empathetic leadership approach, they can often experience a transparent company culture that reduces gossip and anxiety because employees understand the “why” behind tough decisions and are more likely to support them.
Additionally, these companies see higher levels of employee engagement and an agile workforce that can easily adapt to problem-solving due to real-time communication.
If you don’t have a system like this in place, you don’t need to overhaul your entire company right now.
This change works best with small, intentional shifts:
- Audit tools: Look at current internal communication channels. If they are primarily one-way streets (like email blasts), consider platforms that encourage dialogue and peer-to-peer recognition.
- Train for empathy: Invest in leadership development that focuses on emotional intelligence and active listening. These skills are just as trainable as financial forecasting.
- Model the behavior: If leaders expect real-time feedback from your team, they need to lead by example. Listen openly to their input and actively work to implement their suggestions.
As a new year starts, the businesses that embrace this form of internal communication will thrive.
By combining the efficiency of real-time tools with the warmth of human-centered leadership, workplaces won’t just become more productive – they will also be more fulfilling and retain top talent for decades.
