When it comes to employee engagement, the art of listening often separates great organisations from good ones. On the Internal Communications stage at this year’s Employee Engagement Summit, a lively panel explored just that – how feedback, when heard and acted on, can shape stronger, more connected workplaces. The session, moderated by Jo Moffatt, brought together industry leaders who live and breathe the principle of employee voice: Maureen Chambers at Resillion, Syd Lawrence at Flip, and Jonathan Elliott at Sky. Their message? Listening isn’t a tick-box exercise – it’s a leadership mindset.
Maureen Chambers, Head of Internal Communications and Engagement at Resillion shared how her work at Resillion revealed a crucial truth: informal chats are valuable, but structured listening strategies drive real impact. Combining surveys and pulse checks with one-to-one conversations creates a fuller picture of employee sentiment. But as she reminded the audience, listening only works if it leads somewhere. When people see genuine action and response, trust grows – when they don’t, engagement fades fast.
Syd Lawrence, VP Strategic Workflows at Flip brought an energising perspective: “feedback is a gift.” Through his platform, Flip, frontline employees can share real-time insights, from daily vibe checks to deeper concerns. He told a standout story about a Euro Car Parts employee whose comment on pay disparity reached the CEO through Flip – and was addressed directly on the platform. The moment showed how transparency doesn’t just solve problems; it builds credibility and connection.
Jonathan Elliott, Head of Internal Communications, Leadership & Business Partnering at Sky took the conversation into the data domain, urging leaders to treat engagement metrics as seriously as financial ones. The most effective organisations, he said, don’t just gather data – they use it to uncover what truly drives performance. He also reminded attendees that numbers alone aren’t enough; qualitative feedback from live discussions and small-group sessions brings context and colour to the data story.
Maureen returned to the theme of accountability, reflecting on her use of Peakon at William Hill to equip managers with tools and training so they could “own” their data at team level. Jonathan agreed, noting that capability and confidence go hand in hand – managers can’t act on insights they don’t fully understand. Both stressed the need for consistency, so feedback doesn’t vanish into the ether depending on who’s listening.
As the session wrapped up, Jo and the panel reinforced a simple but powerful principle: listening is never complete. Organisations need to close the loop – regularly telling employees what was heard, what was learned, and what’s being done. Even when leaders can’t fix everything, openness fosters trust. Over time, those small acts of communication build the foundation for lasting engagement.
This conversation offered far more than theory – it showed how listening, at every level, drives meaningful action and measurable success.
To register for the 2026 Engage Employee Summit click here.