Insight
Insights from the Employee Engagement Summit 2025
23rd May 2025
The Employee Engagement Summit 2025 in London was a packed day of panels, case studies and discussions exploring a range of topics from embedding purpose into everyday actions to the use of AI in internal comms and creating a feedback culture. Here are our three key takeaways from the day:
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Purpose and values are more important than ever
This was THE dominant topic of the conference – reflected in multiple presentations and discussions. In a world of constant change and increasing complexity, a strong sense of purpose is becoming a vital compass for organisations. Throughout the day, we heard how companies are moving beyond static values statements to embedding purpose into everyday behaviours, leadership decisions and employee experiences.
One speaker highlighted that we each make thousands of decisions every day – and having a clear purpose and strong values helps simplify and guide those choices that would otherwise become overwhelming.
A panel discussion reflected on the importance of actively examining where an organisation might not be living its values – especially at the leadership level. Storytelling emerged as a vital tool, helping internal comms teams surface real examples of purpose in action and connect values to the day-to-day – while also reinforcing leaders to walk the talk.
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Employees want a voice in shaping culture
A clear trend across the sessions was the shift from one-way communication to two-way dialogue. Employees increasingly expect to be part of the conversation – not just recipients of messaging, but contributors to how culture is defined and experienced.
Many organisations are moving beyond one-way communication to build a culture of genuine listening and feedback. We saw strong examples of employees being involved in meaningful ways: for example, where leaders set the direction for purpose, but values are co-created from within the organisation. One speaker described culture as “neuroplastic” – not fixed but constantly rewired through everyday decisions, emotional moments, habits and stories.
Most importantly, the organisations seeing the greatest impact are the ones closing the loop and showing employees that their input leads to action. That means validating feedback, acting on it in a timely way, and giving employees real agency in shaping the response – whether through co-creating solutions or offering options, not just top-down directives. As one speaker put it: if someone asks for a cup of tea and you give it to them cold six months later, they probably don’t want it anymore.
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AI brings opportunities – and risks – for internal comms
AI is beginning to reshape internal communications – whether through tools that support content creation, analyse engagement data or generate employee insights. These tools offer opportunities to make communication more personalised, interactive and impactful, helping messages feel more relevant and accessible to a wide range of audiences. Many organisations are experimenting with AI and new digital formats – like podcasts, apps or video – to connect with dispersed or deskless employees.
But with this potential comes responsibility. Several speakers discussed the importance of using AI ethically and transparently, particularly when it comes to data use and employee trust. The challenge is to use tech to enhance, not replace, the human side of communication. It’s about finding the right balance between automation and empathy. As one speaker noted, the issue isn’t that people don’t trust AI – it’s that they don’t always trust how organisations or leaders are using it. Building that trust will be essential as internal comms continues to evolve alongside new technologies.
