Five frustrations in change and comms, and how to address them
Working in change or communications isn’t for the faint-hearted because if you’ve ever sat in a meeting where priorities shift mid-project or stakeholders rewrite your carefully crafted comms, you’ll know the exact reasons why it’s not an easy task. Even better, or you’re asked to “just send an email” to fix a complex issue. Experienced change manager, Gilbert Kruidenier, gave some helpful tips on how comms and change professions can start managing these issues.
1. When you get a “no” from corporate
It’s a common frustration: you draft messages for staff only to have them blocked by the corporate comms team for being “off brand” or “not polished enough.” The problem is that employees don’t want slick marketing when it comes to change. They need clear, actionable information about what’s changing for them.
What helps: Focus on relationships first! If you know their style guide and approval process, you can frame your comms to fit while still delivering people-focused messages. What if a particular channel is blocked, you ask? Well, it’s time to think creatively and use leadership emails, internal forums, or even peer champions to get the word out.
2. When you become the comms scapegoat
When a change project doesn’t land, it’s easy for people to point fingers at “the comms”, but often, the issue lies deeper in unclear objectives, shifting priorities, or poor leadership engagement.
What helps: Documenting your comms plan, audience reach, and results upfront makes it harder for blame to stick. Plus, asking specific questions like, “Which part of the message didn’t resonate?” helps to shift the conversation from generalised criticism to constructive feedback.
3. When you’re wearing two hats for the one role
Change and communications are often lumped into a single role description. On paper, that might look efficient but in practice, it usually leads to burnout and underperformance.
What helps: As Gilbert puts it, “Change is about helping people adapt. Comms is about how you craft and deliver the message. They’re related, but they’re not the same.” The fix is to educate stakeholders early and be transparent about the workload. If you’re wearing both hats, set realistic boundaries and timelines.
4. When folks underestimate the effort
“Can you just draft an email?” Those six words disguise hours of planning, editing, stakeholder alignment, and sometimes multiple rewrites. Which happens to be one of the most consistent frustrations across the field.
What helps: Break down the process into visible steps and time estimates. Tailor comms for different audience cohorts, and remind leaders that poor change communication isn’t just inconvenient, it’s a psychosocial risk under workplace health and safety regulations.
5. When there are endless editing loops
Nothing drains momentum like a document being circulated for “input” only to come back with nitpicks about synonyms or commas.
What helps: Be clear about what kind of feedback you want (facts, tone, accuracy). Ask whether the current draft would make sense to someone on the frontline and if it doesn’t, try to simplify, and if stakeholders can’t move past the wordsmithing, escalate to someone who can make a final decision.
Frustrations are inevitable in change and comms, but they don’t have to derail progress. Technology might also change the “how” of communication, but the “why” stays the same: people need clarity, empathy, and a sense of connection when facing change. So if you’re navigating the messy overlap of change and communication, remember: frustrations are signals. They point to where processes, relationships, or expectations need attention.
