Hundreds of communicators gathered at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington for Ragan’s Internal Communications Conference.

We discussed ways to engage employees and enhance their work experience, aiming not only to boost job satisfaction but also to improve business performance and the bottom line.

Here are the key takeaways from our time together…

Microsoft CCO Frank Shaw on the ‘dream state’ of AI and comms

Tech and AI dominated much of the conversation at the Internal Communications Conference, starting with CCO Shaw’s opening keynote.

Beyond the more well-known tasks it can handle, like content creation and editing, Shaw suggested that communicators should implement AI as a source of feedback.

“Think about AI as a persona, as a sparring partner, as a brainstorming buddy,” Shaw said.

Go deeper: How AI can enhance your internal communications workflow

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Think ‘when, not if’ to change your mindset

Author and resiliency expert Deborah Gilboa, known as Dr. G, took the stage to discuss stress – and dropped a key piece of advice on being more change competent.

“Use the word ‘when,’ not ‘if,’” she said. “‘If’ sends a signal to the brain that something is a failure, ‘when’ says it’s inevitable and positions you for success.”

Fresh ideas for RTO strategies, wellbeing and crisis comms

The conference explored solutions to help craft engaging messaging for employees craving authenticity in an era of cut-and-paste communications.

While crisis comms were a hot topic, Assaf Kedem of BNP Paribas urged communicators to remember that “crisis communication isn’t just about dousing fires, it’s also about communicating your organization’s values.”

Go deeper: More takeaways from the conference

Recap brought to you by Axios HQ

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