… Or Promising Wellness on LinkedIn and Cutting It by Spreadsheet

In recent years, many companies have proudly communicated their commitment to employee wellbeing.
They talk about flexibility, mental health, work-life balance, continuous learning, hybrid policies and cultures of trust.
And they’ve woven that commitment into their brand narrative — because a healthy work environment also builds loyalty, reputation and commercial value.

But 2025 has brought a different economic climate. Budgets are tightening, trade tensions (like the EU–US tariff debate) are rising, and priorities are shifting.
And in that reshuffle, the first promises to fall are often the ones made in the name of care.

Feedback sessions disappear. Internal training is “postponed”. Mental health campaigns become downloadable PDFs with no follow-up.
And the people who once believed and sustained that narrative from within… start questioning it.

Internal vs. External Communication: The Disconnect Is No Longer Invisible

Saying that “people come first” while cutting back initiatives, overloading teams and eliminating participation spaces just doesn’t fly anymore.
And the problem isn’t just ethical — it’s strategic.

Internal communication is part of your reputational capital.
And when employees no longer believe the story, no one else will either.

• Teams become disengaged and disillusioned.
• The employer brand loses consistency.
• And social media, professional networks or even internal clients start exposing a reality your comms team can’t spin.

What Happens When Promises Collapse?

1. Trust erodes
   The message loses credibility, even when intentions are good.
2. Reputation fragments
   Past efforts are reinterpreted as hollow or performative.
3. Engagement drops
   When the lived experience doesn’t match the message, the culture weakens.
4. Exposure risk increases
   In a world where inconsistencies go viral, one poorly handled internal comment can undo a whole year of marketing.

What Can Companies Do in Times of Budget Cuts?

Cutting back is sometimes necessary.
But you can’t cut back on meaning. That’s why the most resilient companies don’t reduce communication — they improve it.

✅ 1. Review past promises and update them honestly

Not everything can continue as before — but don’t just drop it and hope no one notices.
It’s better to renegotiate commitments with your team than to pretend nothing’s changed.

“This is what we said. This is what we can maintain. And this is what we need to rethink — together.”

✅ 2. Support middle managers more than ever

They absorb the pressure, hold teams together and translate decisions.
Investing in their clarity and wellbeing isn’t optional — it’s organisational survival.

✅ 3. Don’t advertise externally what no longer exists internally

Align your external comms with the internal reality.
If programmes are being paused or reduced, adjust your messaging — silence is better than misrepresentation.

✅ 4. Turn limited resources into stronger relationships

You might not be able to offer more. But you can listen better.
Strong internal communication doesn’t cost millions — it costs attention, respect and clarity.

✅ 5. Reinforce structured listening

Quick surveys, anonymous feedback channels, short focus groups — there are many ways to understand how teams are really feeling.
And often, what isn’t said… becomes explosive.

Coherence has never been more valuable.

If you promised to care — listen.
If you can’t deliver everything — explain.
And if you need to shift priorities — start by being honest with the people who keep the brand alive.

Because in times of adjustment, your budget doesn’t define you.
How you adapt your story — without betraying the people behind it — does.

When communication budgets are slashed — or entire teams removed — the brand loses visibility, internal trust begins to erode, and recovery after a downturn is inevitably slower.
Communication requires consistency. It’s not a tap that can be turned on and off.
And every time you shut it off, you damage not only internal morale, but the very culture you’ve spent years building.

At Polaris, we help companies find a voice that resonates — internally and externally.
We design communication strategies that survive budget cuts, leadership changes and economic turbulence.
We build narratives that your team can stand behind — and your audience will believe.