How we communicate change when everything’s changing

In local government, change is constant. Restructures, redesigns, cost-of-living pressures, regeneration schemes, planning proposals — often all happening at once.

But when everything is changing, how do you keep people informed and reassured?
How do you hold urgency and empathy at the same time?

How do you make space for complexity — without overwhelming people?

That’s the question we are quietly answering, week by week.

And the answer isn’t just in the messages. It’s in the mindset. It’s in how we show up — calmly, consistently, and in service of both transparency and trust.

💬 A week in the life of public service comms

Over just a few days this fortnight, our team handled:

• Multiple media queries (on housing allocations, regeneration schemes, and nature concerns)
• Ongoing residents’ engagement on the Grafton and WICC schemes
• Internal comms on safeguarding, budget planning, and place-based redesigns
• A wave of staff shout-outs celebrating the invisible work that holds our services together
• Updates to key web pages for the Housing Strategy and Digital Platform
• Support for proactive storytelling on place initiatives like Worthing 2050 and Community Alarm redesign

It’s not just the volume of work that stands out. It’s the range. And that range reflects something bigger: that communications isn’t a single function — it’s an ecosystem.

📣 What we’re learning about communicating change

Here’s what we’re learning from that ecosystem every day:

• Pace matters — but tone matters more
  You can move quickly without sounding abrupt. You can be transparent without being defensive. In high-pressure moments, tone is the culture.
• Internal comms is a culture tool
  Our safeguarding message wasn’t just a policy reminder — it was a signal that we care. That we want people to feel safe. That we take our duty seriously.
• Visibility builds trust
  Sharing what’s happening in public spaces, explaining why something’s changing, responding to confusion — these aren’t just updates. They’re opportunities to build trust.
• Celebrating others lifts everyone
  We made space this week to share praise across planning, digital, strategy and community teams. That matters. Because visibility shouldn’t only belong to senior leaders.
• Comms isn’t separate from delivery — it’s part of how delivery lands
  Whether it’s launching the Kitchen Table learning graphic or linking residents to the new Go Vocal platform — communication makes the work real.

🌍 Who else is doing this well?

We’re learning from organisations and places reimagining comms as connection, not just content:

🇺🇸 City of Boston, Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics

Treat comms as part of prototyping — testing ideas with the public through transparent, iterative storytelling.

🇬🇧 Centre for Public Impact

In their “Reimagining Government” work, they highlight the power of narrative to make values visible — especially during uncertain change.

📖 CPI — Reimagining Government

🇬🇧 New Local’s work on storytelling and community power

Reframes narrative as infrastructure — helping councils build public support through story-led accountability.

🛠 How you can try this in your team

If you’re leading change or trying to communicate better in complexity, here are a few simple things to try:

• Send fewer updates — with more meaning
  Make time to explain why something matters, not just what is happening.
• Create space for shout-outs
  Let comms celebrate colleagues who embody your values — especially those whose work often goes unseen.
• Use storytelling to connect the dots
  Help staff and residents see how different bits of work fit together. Use plain English. Use metaphors. Use voices.
• Balance certainty with honesty
  When timelines are fluid or decisions are still forming, say so. People can handle uncertainty better when they’re respected.
• Treat internal comms as a strategic lever
  It’s not a noticeboard. It’s a chance to reflect your culture, activate values, and build shared direction.

💬 Why this matters now

In times like these — when trust is fragile and systems are stretched — communication becomes more than an output.

It becomes care.

Care in how we speak.
Care in how we share.
Care in how we make others feel seen, informed, and included.

That’s what we do. Quietly, every day. And it’s what we’re trying to model across the organisation — so that change doesn’t just happen to people, but with them.

🤝 A call to connect

If you’re rethinking public service comms — whether you’re a comms officer, a transformation lead, or a strategy director — we’d love to connect.

• What’s helping your communications feel more human and helpful?
• How are you using storytelling to build trust and make sense of change?
• What rituals or habits are helping people feel seen and heard?

Let’s learn together — and communicate with care.

Thanks to our Communications Team for helping us move at the speed of trust, not just the speed of delivery.