Research by Staffbase and YouGov reveals a strong correlation between clear communication and overall job satisfaction in times of change, crisis, and uncertainty
Staffbase, the leading employee communications cloud platform, announced the results of its 2025 Employee Communication Impact Study during the VOICES 2025 virtual event. The report examines the employee perspective on internal corporate communications as it relates to change, crisis, and leadership. While most American employees say they are generally satisfied with their job or position, the survey reveals a striking gap between the experiences of desk-based and non-desk employees and highlights a persistent pain point: communication.
Only 10% of non-desk employees in the U.S. are very satisfied with internal communication at their workplaces. Even more telling, 40% rate the quality of communication as only “fair” or “poor”, though desk-based employees report slightly better experiences.
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“We see the data. Companies can no longer afford to treat employee communication as an afterthought. The disconnect is not just a communication issue — it’s a trust issue — and ultimately, a bottom line issue for the business,” said David Maffei, Staffbase GM and SVP of the Americas. “It is paramount in this divisive era of high financial and social stress for organizations to reevaluate how they connect with their people to reduce the stress of uncertainty in the workplace. Clear, consistent, and accessible communication is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a business imperative.”
The 2025 Employee Communication Impact Study, conducted in partnership with YouGov, collected responses from 1,044 employees from across the globe and a wide range of industries, including healthcare, retail, education, logistics, transportation, and manufacturing, to shine a light on the business impacts of poor internal communication during periods of disruption and instability.
Key findings include:
- Non-desk employees are underserved: 51% of non-desk workers say the communication they receive is infrequent, low quality, or both.
- Poor communication drives turnover: Nearly 60% of employees who are considering leaving their jobs cite poor internal communication as a contributing factor.
- Trust starts with the immediate supervisor: Direct managers are the most-trusted source of information, according to 51% of global respondents.
- Employees want clarity and consistency during change: When people feel well-informed, they’re far more likely to be happy in their roles. Respondents were three times as happy in their roles when they felt leadership communications were very clear. Unfortunately, only 18% of respondents felt they were well-informed about the reasons behind recent company changes.
- An employee app can make a difference: For employees who use one, 60% of respondents ranked their employee app as their most trusted communication channel ahead of supervisors or memos from management. Additionally, when used as a primary channel, employee apps score highest for crisis communication and ease of access to change-related updates.
In today’s volatile economic environment shaped by ongoing restructuring, workforce reductions, and DEI rollbacks, companies are in dire need of internal communication that builds trust and strengthens connection. This is especially true for employees who don’t work at a desk or with a computer — the very people who are often the last to receive important updates.
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