Greetings, comms pros! Let’s take a look at a few news stories from the last week and see what we can learn from them.
1. Atlassian CEO details decision-making process in layoff memo
Software company Atlassian is cutting 1,600 jobs —10% of its employees — citing the need to embrace AI and shift priorities to remain competitive in a more automation-forward landscape.
CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes wrote about the cuts in a memo to employees, which was later posted on the Atlassian website. The note was accompanied by a video of him speaking directly about the layoff news to staffers. In the memo, Cannon-Brookes said that the company doesn’t have a philosophy that focuses on AI replacing human beings, but added that it would be “disingenuous” to claim that AI doesn’t change the reality of work for the company.
He also shed some light on how the company makes these kinds of decisions.
“Build with heart and balance” means we consider and weigh up all options before we make decisions. Decisions require heart (humanity, empathy, passion), and balance (pragmatism, trade-offs, decisiveness). In this moment, we are balancing making the right (hard) decision for Atlassian, while supporting our people through this change.
We took a thoughtful and incredibly thorough approach to determining impacted roles. Guided by company-wide principles and a disparate impact analysis, we made some structural org changes and focused on retaining Atlassians with the skills to help us thrive as an AI-first company – this included strong performers, graduates, and Atlassians with transferable skills.
Cannon-Brookes added that affected employees will receive a slate of separation benefits from the company, including at least four months of severance, the extension of healthcare coverage for six months for eligible employees and prorated bonuses.
Cannon-Brookes’ statement addresses the impact of AI directly and transparently, which is a welcome tactic even amid a tough internal message. Additionally, it’s noteworthy that he embeds the company’s internal language by calling out the value, “build with heart and balance.” By making a familiar cultural reference, Cannon-Brookes frames the layoffs as an example of Atlassian’s leadership philosophy in action. It balances humanity with pragmatic decision-making. For internal comms pros, that kind of framing can help leaders connect difficult messaging like layoff comms back to shared values and make the message hold up.
2. Bluesky chief announces “step back” to new role in memo
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber announced that she’s moving out of the top job at the social platform and instead taking on the role of chief innovation officer. In a memo posted on the company’s website, Graber said that the company needed a leader who could focus solely on scaling the business while she slotted back into a building role she felt suited her better.
Scaling up this company has been a learning experience unlike anything else. I’ve grown a lot as a leader and had the privilege of assembling the best team I’ve ever worked with. As we’ve grown, I’ve found that people thrive when they’re in a role where their passions overlap with their strengths. This is as true for me as it is for our team. I’m most energized by exploring new ideas, bringing a vision to life, and helping people discover their strengths. Transitioning to a more focused role where I can do what brings me energy is my way of putting that belief into practice.
She added that Toni Schneider would take over as interim CEO while the board searched for a permanent chief executive.
Graber’s memo is notable for a CEO transition because instead of framing the move as a role departure, she positions it as a natural shift that will help usher in the company’s newest phase of growth and development. Additionally, by describing how Bluesky now needs a leader focused on scaling while she is energized by building and experimentation, the memo helps frame a moment of potential upheaval when a CEO resigns to a practical adjustment that’ll help the organization.
3. Report: There’s a perception gap between managers and employees with AI
With more and more companies requiring their employees to get experience with using AI, a new report from Checkr revealed that there’s a stark gap in perception about workplace AI use among managers and employees. The report found that 64% of managers felt they needed to use AI to stay competitive, with just 38% of employees responding the same way
For internal comms pros, there’s a dual challenge present to communicate both what AI technology does and the credibility gap around how decision about AI are made at a company. This shows how urgency about AI adoption at higher levels of the company can translate down the ladder as skepticism when the subject is communicated clearly and transparently. Bridging this gap takes explaining use cases clearly, communicating about guardrails and talking about the human oversight of AI. This way, employees can understand where new technology fits into the workplace ecosystem.
4. How about some good news?
Have a great weekend comms all-stars!
Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications.
