In our hyper-connected world a PR crisis rarely starts and ends with a product failure or a corporate scandal. More often, the catalyst is people, either how they’re treated or their response to poor behaviour. This leads to a need for HR crisis communications.
A badly handled redundancy announcement. An insensitive comment about employees. A workplace culture allegation. An executive who forgets that leadership doesn’t end when they leave the office.
When people-centric issues collide with all forms of media, the result can be a reputational wildfire. A single video clip can be viewed millions of times before the organisation has even drafted a response.
As an HR PR agency, we increasingly see communications challenges rooted in employee experience, leadership behaviour and workplace culture. Journalists, employees and stakeholders expect organisations to demonstrate empathy, accountability and authenticity, particularly during difficult moments.
The following examples show what happens when they don’t.
1. Delivering difficult news without empathy: The Better.com layoffs
One of the most infamous leadership communication failures of recent years came when Better.com CEO Vishal Garg informed approximately 900 employees that they were being made redundant during a short Zoom call. The recording was quickly shared across social media and global news outlets, transforming an internal business decision into an international reputation crisis.
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nBQGWF4Cpg
What went wrong?
The criticism wasn’t primarily about the business decision itself. Many organisations have been forced to make difficult workforce decisions. The problem was how the message was delivered. Employees and commentators perceived the announcement as cold, abrupt and lacking genuine empathy. The focus appeared to be on operational necessity rather than the human impact on hundreds of individuals and their families.
The lesson
When jobs, livelihoods and careers are affected, audiences expect leaders to communicate like human beings, not corporate spokespeople. During a crisis, empathy is essential.
2. Forgetting that leaders are always in the spotlight: The Astronomer “kiss cam” incident
In 2025, Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot became the subject of global headlines after appearing on a stadium “kiss cam” during a Coldplay concert. Within hours, footage of the moment had spread across social media. The resulting scrutiny quickly shifted attention from the company’s business performance to questions about leadership judgment, accountability and workplace culture. Byron later resigned from the company.
Video coverage: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=astronomer+ceo+coldplay+kiss+cam
What went wrong?
This demonstrates one of the most important communication realities facing modern executives. Every public place is potentially a media moment. In the age of smartphones, social media and citizen journalism, there is no hiding place. And for people leaders, HR directors and C-suite executives, personal conduct increasingly shapes perceptions of company culture.
The lesson
A reputation can take years to build and minutes to damage. The strongest leaders recognise that their personal brand and employer brand are often inseparable.
3. Treating employee wellbeing as an afterthought: The 90-hour working week backlash
In 2025, comments from L&T chairman S.N. Subrahmanyan regarding employees working 90-hour weeks sparked international debate around workplace expectations, burnout and work-life balance. The controversy generated widespread media coverage and eventually required clarification from senior HR leaders.
Coverage: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=L%26T+90+hour+work+week+controversy
What went wrong?
The comments may not have been intended to create a global debate, but spokesperson intent is usually irrelevant once public perception has taken hold. When leaders appear disconnected from employee wellbeing, audiences are quick to respond and judge. Employees, jobseekers and journalists increasingly view workplace culture as a defining measure of organisational quality.
The lesson
Before speaking publicly, ask: “How would our employees feel if they saw this headline?” Because chances are they will.
Why people issues create the fastest-moving PR crises
Many traditional PR crises unfold over days or weeks but people issues can explode within hours – requiring urgent HR crisis communications support. That’s because they tap into emotions which can be far more powerful than facts. Employees recognise themselves in stories about layoffs. Candidates respond negatively to stories about workplace culture. Managers recoil at stories about leadership behaviour. The public forms opinions based on whether leaders appear fair, authentic and human.
When organisations mishandle people-related communications, the story often overtakes the original incident. What starts as an HR issue quickly becomes a reputational wildfire. And these can rapidly spread to become commercial decimation.
When workplace communication issues are handled well: The BBC’s culture review
Following a series of high-profile controversies, the BBC commissioned an independent workplace culture review and faced sustained questioning about accountability, conduct and organisational culture. What stood out was the approach taken by Director-General Tim Davie. Instead of dismissing concerns, he publicly acknowledged the issues, emphasised accountability and argued that nobody within the organisation should be considered “indispensable”.
Coverage: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tim+davie+bbc+culture+review
This is an example of how good leadership communication in a difficult situation can help turn the tide. Many organisations respond to culture-related criticism by minimising concerns, challenging perceptions or blaming a few bad actors. When facing questions about workplace culture, leaders should:
– Acknowledge concerns
– Avoid defensiveness
– Explain what action is being taken
– Demonstrate accountability
People don’t expect perfection but they do expect (and respect) honesty.
Our take
We often assume the biggest media interview mistakes are brought about by clever questioning techniques from hostile journalists. But actually the root cause is often leaders forgetting that every interaction communicates something about their organisation. Whether you’re discussing redundancies, workplace culture, employee wellbeing or executive accountability, audiences are looking for the same qualities: empathy, authenticity, accountability, and transparency – backed by a strong HR crisis communications plan. Get these things right and even challenging situations can strengthen trust. But get them wrong and your leader’s next media appearance could become the internet’s next case study in how not to communicate.
Photo by Md Mahdi on Unsplash
