Office Hours is a new series by The Beautiful Truth, in which the TBT team share their contemporary takes on workplace challenges.

“I don’t know how you can live with yourself,” says a man in the film Up in the Air, moments after being let go. “But I’m sure that you’ll find a way, while the rest of us are suffering.”

The film follows Ryan Bingham, who fires people on behalf of companies too afraid to do it themselves. He delivers life-altering news, then vanishes, never having to witness the aftermath. The drama lies not in what’s said, but in what’s missing: any real sense of care or accountability.

We often hear “it’s not personal, it’s business.” But if it feels personal, was it ever just business?

Build Trust Before You Need It

What makes scenes like those in Up in the Air so unsettling is their coldness. Employees are reduced to numbers, their dismissal outsourced and stripped of empathy.

At the heart of any working relationship is a “psychological contract”. It’s not written into employment contracts or company handbooks, yet it defines how people engage with their work. This contract has been shifting, shaped by changing expectations, evolving workplace norms, and a labour market that has, in recent years, empowered employees to demand more than just a paycheck. Stability and benefits aren’t enough. People want clarity, respect, and leadership that levels with them, even when the news isn’t good.

Trust is the foundation. But only 26% of leaders succeed in creating a psychologically safe workplace. Without that safety, people brace for bad news and fill in the blanks with worst-case scenarios. Neuroscientist Dr Paul Zak has shown that trust triggers the release of oxytocin – the hormone that bonds us to one another. People who feel trusted are more likely to reciprocate it.

Whether the news is about layoffs, restructures, or new policies, people process it through the lens of trust. As Simon Sinek puts it: “Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge.”

And trust? It’s hard won and easily lost. As the Dutch saying goes, “Trust arrives on foot and leaves on horseback.”

Handled with care, bad news doesn’t have to break trust. Consider Brian Chesky’s 2020 letter to Airbnb staff announcing mass layoffs. He wrote plainly and compassionately, explaining the business reality while acknowledging the human cost. In contrast, Better.com CEO Vishal Garg fired 900 people in a cold two-minute Zoom call. The backlash wasn’t just about what was done, but how. One leader stayed present; the other vanished.

Communicate With Clarity

Not all bad news is seismic. Some changes, like layoffs, are life-changing. Others, like a shift in remote work policies, may just be frustrating. But whatever the scale, people want – and deserve – authentic communication.

Often, that task falls to internal communicators. They may find themselves tasked with translating mandates into narratives people can accept. They must give context to sweeping changes, knowing that one poorly timed memo can fracture morale. A recent study found that 61% of employees have contemplated leaving their jobs because of unclear or infrequent updates, a stark reminder that withholding communication might be as damaging as bad news itself. As leadership thinker Shane Parrish puts it, “The art of communication is the language of leadership.” Even without shaping the original decision, internal communicators carry responsibility for its delivery, choosing words that honour employees’ need for candour while mitigating the anxiety that ambiguity breeds.

When a rehearsed address no longer suffices, internal communicators can then shed artifice and engage in genuine dialogue that acknowledges each stakeholder’s reality. Bad news is inherently subjective. A promotion for one may presage upheaval for others, an office closure can feel like liberation or spark unease. Recognising the varied contexts and mindsets in which news lands is as vital as its wording.

Help People Make Sense

Delivering the news is only step one. What matters just as much is helping people understand what it means, not just in business terms, but in human terms.

We’re storytelling creatures. In times of upheaval, we look for meaning. And when we don’t find it, our imagination fills in the blanks with fear. That’s why communication must provide not just information, but narrative.

As writer Will Storr explains in The Science of Storytelling, “In order to cooperate, we had to be able to share a story about the future, in which ‘I do this, you do that, and we’ll achieve our goal together.’”

Consider 2020. The global pivot to remote work wasn’t just a policy change – it was framed as a collective act of care. According to the ONS, 86% of people worked from home specifically because of the pandemic. That story of protecting ourselves and others helped people feel part of something meaningful. And it stuck: 91% of people globally now view remote work positively, according to Buffer.

As some organisations shift again, toward more in-person work, we need a new story. One that explains not just what’s happening, but why. When Disney CEO Bob Iger announced stricter in-office expectations, he rooted it in creativity: “In a creative business like ours, nothing can replace the ability to connect, observe, and create with peers.”

This wasn’t just policy; it was narrative. A story about shared values and what it means to create together.

Anchor to a Shared Future

For a story to resonate, people must see themselves in it. As Storr writes, we are “in a restless mission to seek ‘people-like-us’ with whom we can successfully cooperate.” Shared stories foster connection, offering reassurance and a sense of belonging.

When communicating difficult news, we need to offer more than updates. We need to show people where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. That’s what builds coherence in moments of change.

That’s the real work of communicating hard news: not just informing, but anchoring people to something meaningful – a story, a purpose, a future they can believe in.

Skills of Delivery  

• Ditch the sandwich. Rather than cushioning it between positives, lead with the strategic direction and then acknowledge legitimate concerns.
  
• Own the narrative. Choose one clear storyline and stick to it; consistency builds credibility.
  
• Accept departures. Transparency may prompt exits—plan dignified off-ramps rather than fearing churn.
  
• Treat adults as adults. Assume competence, avoid condescension and invite genuine dialogue.
  
• Show the prize. Paint a vivid picture of what success looks like, not just what’s ending.
  
• Map the journey. Frame news as: “We were… we are… we aim to be…” to anchor reason and intent.