The words “policy update” usually trigger a collective groan. New data privacy protocols, updated internal policies and compliance requirements feel like a bureaucratic headache. But the best organizations know it doesn’t have to be that way.

At best, these corporate clichés have become meaningless. At worst, they actively confuse people and make them question how genuine their leadership is — and both kill employee engagement and culture.

Organizations fail at implementing tech-driven change because they underestimate what it takes to make complex ideas resonate with humans. Here are six ways most workplaces stumble, and how to fix them.

Culture is shaped every day by the choices you make — the conversations you have (or don’t), the clarity you provide (or withhold) and the behaviors you model. You don’t need a fancy offsite to improve it. You just need to do something before it’s too late.

“Let’s align cross-functionally to optimize engagement and drive scalable impact.” If that sentence made your eyes glaze over, congrats. You’re still human.

Just because everyone speaks the same language at work doesn’t mean they understand each other. And when you don’t understand each other, it’s damn hard to get things done.

You wouldn’t text your boss a 20-page strategy doc. Just like you wouldn’t call a town hall to reveal a new coffee machine. But organizations make similar mistakes all the time.

If you want a team that’s energized, open to change and willing to share the truth, you’ve got to give them something more than “How’s it going?”

Hard skills matter — but it’s the human ones that build trust, shape culture and leave a lasting impact. And yet most workplaces treat them like a bonus, not a necessity.

Here’s the thing: Your employees are your most important audience. If you want a message to stick — whether it’s a new strategy, a shift in direction or a cultural change — you need to sell it.

Here’s a hard truth: Most employee experience problems aren’t about broken systems. They’re about broken leadership — and bad coaching is often part of the problem.

Yes, change is hard. Also, the sky is blue, and I want a side of ranch with my pizza. Now, what are you going to do to make this change easier?