Comms Fatigue is Real

How to cut through the noise during change

When organisations go through change, the instinct is for leaders to communicate more. On the whole, this is a good instinct, but constant updates, reminders, and “just a quick note…” messages can overwhelm employees. Instead of informing, you risk exhausting them.

Welcome to comms fatigue – when people stop paying attention because there’s just too much going on.

What causes comms fatigue?

• Volume: Too many messages across too many channels

• Repetition: Similar content that adds little new

• Lack of clarity: Unclear or vague language that confuses instead of clarifies

• Emotional overload: Too many changes to digest when people are already dealing with uncertainty

This can manifest as (1) a drop in engagement with lower open and click rates, (2) colleagues saying, “I didn’t see that,” or “you already sent this, didn’t you?” or (3) employees disengaging from conversations about change.

How to fix it

1. Prioritise ruthlessly. Not everything needs saying. Focus on what’s critical and cut the rest.

2. Anchor to the ‘why’. Always explain the purpose behind the message and why this matters to your audience.

3. Keep it simple. Use clear language and short formats with one source of truth and no jargon.

4. Time it right. Stagger your messages, avoid end-of-day dumps, and respect attention spans.

5. Listen and adapt. When fatigue sets in, pause. Then ask for feedback, switch up formats and use people managers to humanise the message through natural conversation.

A final thought

Change comms isn’t about saying more – it’s about saying what matters. Say less, say it better, and say it with empathy.