Frequency

92% Increasing AI Investment, Only 1% Actually Mature: Amazon's Badge Tracking Problem

In this episode of Frequency, Jenni Field and Chuck Gose explore the quiet pressures tightening around modern work - from burnout and broken flexibility promises to the unintended consequences of AI “efficiency”.
The episode opens with a deceptively simple question: what happened to happy hour? Not as a drinking debate, but as a signal that the informal “third space” of work - where trust, mentoring and belonging once formed, is disappearing. 
They then unpack Amazon’s evolving performance and office-tracking approach, questioning where healthy accountability ends and surveillance begins, and what communicators should really be saying when trust is already fragile.
A global frontline study from UKG brings the conversation back to reality, revealing burnout rates of 76% and a widening “two-culture” divide between frontline and office workers. Flexibility and financial security aren’t perks anymore,  they’re retention levers.
The episode also tackles McKinsey & Company’s idea of “super agency”, asking whether AI’s biggest blocker is actually leadership hesitation, not employee readiness.
Finally, Jenni and Chuck examine a counter-intuitive risk of AI: when busywork disappears, so does recovery time — unless work itself is redesigned.
As ever, this is straight-talking, reflective and a little uncomfortable — in the best way. 
 
Articles mentioned in this episode:
 
What Happened to Happy Hour? 
 
Amazon is making big changes to the way it treats workers 
 
Global study reveals flexibility and financial wellness are top 2026 priorities for frontline workers
 
Superagency in the workplace: Empowering people to unlock AI’s full potential 
 
The Downside to Using AI for All Those Boring Tasks at Work
 
 

Simpplr Bonus Episode: 91% Have an Intranet, 55% Have a Mess: Simpplr's Data on Why All-in-One Platforms Win

In this special bonus episode of Frequency, Jenni Field and Chuck Gose are joined by Carolyn Clark, VP of Communications and Employee Experience at Simpplr, to dig into the findings from the 2025 State of Internal Communications and Intranet Report.
This isn’t an employee survey, it’s a look at how the builders of the system (comms, HR and IT leaders) think internal communication is working… and where it’s quietly falling apart.
Together, they unpack ten findings that reveal a familiar tension: internal comms is getting more attention and investment, but employees are still navigating tool sprawl, unclear ownership and platforms that don’t always help them get real work done.
The conversation covers:
Why exec attention doesn’t always equal understanding
The growing gap between “we have an intranet” and actual employee experience
Tool sprawl, digital stress and the hidden cost of friction
Why IT satisfaction doesn’t equal employee usability
What “ethical AI” really means inside organisations
And why relevance, targeting and governance are still lagging behind ambition
 
Straight-talking, practical and occasionally uncomfortable — this episode challenges leaders to stop counting tools and start fixing system. 
Thanks to Simpplr for sponsoring the episode! 
Read the report here: https://www.simpplr.com/resources/research-reports/state-of-ic-and-intranet-technology-uk/ 

200 to 60 Square Feet: Why Open Offices Cut Space 70% and Face-to-Face Interaction

In the first episode of 2026, Jenni Field and Chuck Gose are back with a candid, wide-ranging conversation about what the world of work really needs to leave behind.
They start by sharing the leadership, culture and communication habits that should have stayed in 2025 – from performative “authenticity” and meaningless values to treating AI as either a miracle cure or an existential threat.
The conversation then turns to employee happiness. Drawing on recent research, Jenni challenges the idea that leaders are responsible for happiness at work, arguing instead that feeling respected, supported and energised is the baseline of credible leadership – not a perk.
Jenni and Chuck also unpack:
Why trends are often marketing fluff (and why predictions are more useful)
Whether internal communication is facing an identity crisis
When buzzwords help – and when they create unnecessary chaos
Why open-plan offices don’t work, and what the office should be for now
Articles mentioned in this episode:
New Data Shows The Surprising Payoff Of Employee Happiness
What are the trends shaping internal comms and the workplace in 2026?
Are buzzwords bad?
The open office is a lie
 

25 Hours of Us: The Top 10 Workplace Themes of 2025 and Predictions for 2026

In this final episode of 2025, Jenni Field and Chuck Gose reflect on a year of conversations by pulling together the 10 themes that defined work, leadership and internal communication over the past 25 hours and 41 minutes of the podcast.
They revisit the middle management crisis, the ongoing disconnect between hybrid work reality and mandates, and the shift from performative authenticity to honest leadership transparency. The episode also explores AI adoption anxiety, the persistent challenge of proving the value of internal communication, and why change fatigue means productivity takes far longer to recover than leaders expect.
The conversation looks at purpose-driven work, communication overload, cultural intelligence in global teams, and the unresolved productivity paradox behind return-to-office decisions.
They close by sharing five AI-generated predictions for 2026, challenging leaders to build trust, rethink management, and stop trying to control their way through change.
Slow Productivity - Cal Newport
Tiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le Cunff - Ness Labs
The Productivity Diet - Mike Vardy

Festivus Traditions, Psychological Safety Savings Account, and Why AI Anxiety Is Just Change

In this week’s episode of Frequency, Jenni and Chuck explore the forces shaping how we feel at work - from safety and strategy to hybrid rhythms and AI anxiety. They unpack new research showing psychological safety isn’t a “nice to have” but a strategic resource that protects against burnout and increases retention, especially when resources are tight.
They also dive into why internal comms teams get stuck in delivery mode instead of strategy, and why pausing to reset purpose doesn’t need to take months, it just needs focus. Hybrid working gets a fresh lens too, with new data revealing clear workplace rhythms, the risk of overloading Thursdays, and why short commutes are becoming an engagement driver.
Finally, they tackle AI anxiety head-on, debating whether it’s really about technology — or simply our human response to big change. Plus, festive traditions, doors, and milestone birthdays are in this week’s Freq out!
Articles and posts mentioned in this episode: 
In tough times, psychological safety is a requirement, not a luxury
Plans without strategy: why internal comms keeps getting stuck in task mode
The New Rhythms of Work: How Hybrid Reality Is Reshaping Employee Experience
Why AI at work makes us so anxious
Episode 4 of Frequency where they discuss the misconceptions of psychological safety
 

Die Hard Debate: 90% of UK Workers Disengaged, Human Sustainability, and 18 Days Off

In this episode of Frequency, Jenni and Chuck get stuck into a report-heavy week packed with big questions for communicators, leaders and HR. They explore the UK Government’s RESIST framework for tackling misinformation and why “strategic silence” can sometimes be the smartest move.
The conversation then turns to workplace wellbeing, with new data from Reward Gateway showing a growing shift from pay to work–life balance - but the conversation discusses the serious confusion about what wellbeing at work actually means. From unlimited leave to sleep, stress and personal responsibility, they challenge where the line really sits.
They also unpack striking Gallup engagement data showing that 90% of UK employees are disengaged or not actively engaged, and question what leaders are truly trying to measure. The episode wraps with a powerful model for “human work” from the team at Fauna and CultureCon based on their recent research.
 
The reports and articles mentioned in this episode:
A new Government framework for communicators to tackle misinformation
Workplace wellbeing - a business imperative 
The future of work has a heartbeat
ICology Mentorship Program - deadline to apply is December 15
 

Live from Nashville: Frontier Firms, Sterilized Communication, and American Portion Sizes

This special live episode of Frequency comes straight from Unily’s Unite25 Conference in Nashville - the first time Jenni Field and Chuck Gose have taken the podcast to the stage. Recorded unedited and unfiltered, they share their top takeaways from the event, from digital noise and content sprawl to employee trust, empowered talent markets and the launch of Unily’s new AI tool, Indy.
They also reflect on standout keynote moments, including Dr. Mae Jemison’s call to “give people room to tell their story” and insights on charisma, warmth and competence in communication. The live audience joins them as they explore AI trust gaps, courageous leadership, shifting job fears, workplace drinking culture and the realities of post-work social pressure.
With audience questions, real-time reactions and plenty of humour, this episode captures the energy of Unite25 and the big topics shaping modern internal communications and employee experience.
Here are the articles discussed:
The Trust Gap is the AI story
Rethinking with Adam Grant podcast - Brene Brown on courageous leadership 
Evaluating AI's impact on the labor market
One in three UK workers have called in sick after work drinks, survey finds
 
 

The Power of Purpose: Why Only 30% of Hiring Managers Think It Matters

In this episode of Frequency, Jenni Field and Chuck Gose dig into new Gallup data showing the huge gap between how much purpose at work matters and how little leaders actually prioritise it — and why “just a job” might not be the negative people assume. They also unpack Kate O’Neill’s argument that feedback isn’t the issue; context is. Without shared goals, clarity and psychological safety, feedback becomes noise, not development.
The conversation moves into boundaries and burnout, as they challenge the workplace obsession with “firefighting” leadership and explore what sustainable leadership really looks like. And in a more unsettling twist, they react to research suggesting AI tools could infer personality — and influence hiring — simply from a profile photo.
The episode wraps with reflective freakouts: celebrating wins, questioning industry negativity, and calling for more joy in comms.
Purpose at work: engagement rocket fuel that most people never get
“Nobody needs feedback” – Kate O’Neil’s shared-context grenade
Mita Mallick: not every fire is yours to fight
Hiring by face: AI, personality and the new bias minefield
 

When Employees Announce Layoffs Before Leadership Can: The Legal Paperwork Problem

In this episode of Frequency, Jenni and Chuck dig into another week of stories shaping workplace culture, leadership and internal comms. They kick off with the latest research on “culture rot,” where only 14% of employees feel aligned to their company values - and they discuss what that says about credibility, trust and how organisations communicate who they really are.
They also get into some new data showing gossip continues to outpace HR during layoffs, raising tough questions about transparency, timing and the human impact of change. Jenni shares insights from the Gallagher Digital Experience Summit, including the rising issue of digital stress, the reality of AI maturity, and why productivity isn’t as measurable as leaders think.
The conversation wraps with a look at America’s shifting relationship with work — and what it means when more people see their role as “just a job.”
 
Articles mentioned in this episode:
“Culture rot” hits UK workplaces — most people feel misaligned
Gossip beats HR in layoff announcements
Americans’ Long Love/Hate Relationship With Work
 
🎶 Theme music for Frequency is “Blessed Be the Weary," produced by Poet Ali. You can find the track on Spotify, Apple Music, and wherever you stream music. We're grateful to Poet for setting the tone with his powerful, reflective sound.

MIT Was Right All Along: Hybrid Is Not the Problem, Poor Leadership Is

In this episode of Frequency, hosts Chuck Gose and Jenni Field discuss the importance of in-person gatherings, the concept of long-haul leadership, and the challenges of hybrid work environments. 
The conversation covers two favorite topics - hybrid work and leadership, discussing the fact that rules about days in office will never outperform rituals that help teams do the right work in the right way. The surprising truth about the engagement of managers is uncovered and the link that has to recognition in the workplace.
The pair debate the dangers of narrowing and specialising in your comms career and they tackle the important topic of productivity and exhaustion - and why listening is the answer. 
Articles and links related to this episode
From Exhaustion to Empowerment: The Meaningful Productivity Report (Forty1)
Hybrid Work Is Not the Problem — Poor Leadership Is (MIT Sloan Management Review)
Employees Say Only 59% of Leaders Are Actively Engaged (Nectar)
Public relations • communications strategy • career growth (Michelle Frith on LinkedIn)
 
Books mentioned in this episode: 
Long Haul Leader by Chris Ducker: https://longhaulleader.com/book/
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport: https://calnewport.com/my-new-book-slow-productivity/ 
Cues by Vanesss Van Edwards: https://www.scienceofpeople.com/cues/
Busy by Tony Crabbe: https://tonycrabbe.com/books/ 
Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Talieb - https://a.co/d/8wSDUKO
 
🎶 Theme music for Frequency is “Blessed Be the Weary," produced by Poet Ali. You can find the track on Spotify, Apple Music, and wherever you stream music. We're grateful to Poet for setting the tone with his powerful, reflective sound.