Ignite Manager and Leader Engagement

How Equipping Frontline Leaders with the Right Tools Builds Trust, Clarity, and Connection

When it comes to employee communication, HR can lead the strategy…but it’s your people leaders who make it stick.

Managers are the most trusted source of information for employees. According to Gallup, employees are more likely to engage with information—and believe it—when it comes from an immediate supervisor.  

Whether it's introducing a new benefits program, explaining a policy or operational change, or simply answering benefit questions, what managers say (and how they say it) can directly impact how employees feel about their organization and the support it offers.

That’s why it’s important to not just focus on what you communicate, but also to focus on who delivers the message.

Sophisticated manager and leader engagement strategies have the ability to elevate how communication is cascaded, clarified, and reinforced across teams. It can help turn your leaders into confident messengers, empathetic advisors, and trusted guides who keep employees informed, engaged, and aligned.

Here’s how we happen to do it—and why it matters more than ever.

Managers Matter More Than Mass Emails

In today’s fast-moving workplaces, employees are bombarded with information. Emails go unopened. Portals go unexplored. But a quick word from a manager during a team huddle? That lands.

Managers are in a unique position to:

• Personalize communication based on individual and team needs
• Translate broad HR messages into day-to-day context
• Reinforce actions and deadlines
• Answer real-time questions
• Nudge employees to leverage resources
• Model values and drive cultural alignment

But here’s the catch: most managers aren’t communication experts. They’re juggling competing priorities and don’t always feel equipped to explain benefit programs or policy changes. That’s where an outside resource can come in.

Our approach: Practical. Empowering. Actionable.

We take it as our responsibility to set managers up for success by helping them feel more confident, consistent, and prepared when delivering information. Whether you’re rolling out a new wellness initiative, supporting open enrollment, or navigating organizational change, make sure your leaders are part of the plan—not an afterthought.

Here’s how we do it here at LoVasco:

1. Aligning with HR Strategy & Culture

We begin by understanding your organization’s communication goals, leadership culture, and expectations for managers. Together, we assess:

• What messages managers are expected to deliver
• Where current gaps or inconsistencies exist
• How comfortable (or overwhelmed) managers currently feel
• What support tools they’ve been given—and what’s missing

From there, we identify where more structure, support, or visibility could improve results.

2. Developing Manager Toolkits that Work

We build ready-to-use manager toolkits that go beyond scripts and talking points. Each toolkit is designed to save time and build confidence and often includes:

• Key message summaries and “what to say” prompts
• Anticipated employee questions (and suggested responses)
• Visual one-pagers or slides for quick sharing
• Conversation starters and check-in questions
• Timelines and escalation protocols
• Links to advance copies of employee communications and relevant resources, FAQs, and HR contacts

Whether it’s explaining a new high-deductible health plan or helping a team understand upcoming pay changes, these tools help managers feel prepared and credible—without requiring them to become benefit or compensation experts.

3. Creating Communication Campaigns with a Manager Lens

We embed managers into the communication process early, so they’re not just repeating information, they’re reinforcing it with relevance.

That includes:

• Pre-launch briefings so leaders know what’s coming
• Branded manager emails that mirror employee messaging
• Coordinated timing of internal rollouts and leader talking points
• Manager-facing intranet hubs with archives and support tools
• Office hours or Q&A sessions with HR to help managers gain clarity

When leaders feel included and informed, they’re more likely to engage—and so are their teams.

4. Training for Real Conversations

Sometimes managers need more than materials—they need training. We offer leader education sessions to help them build skills in:

• Communicating during change and uncertainty
• Having effective 1:1 conversations about sensitive topics
• Answering benefits questions without overstepping
• Navigating employee feedback and concerns

These sessions can be live, on-demand, or part of broader leadership development efforts—and are always rooted in real scenarios your leaders are likely to face. We even provide scripting to help guide their conversations.

The result? Confident leaders, connected teams.

Net Results and Return on Investment

When managers are well-informed and well-equipped, they become true amplifiers of your message. The return on investment:

• Greater consistency in communication across departments
• Higher engagement and participation in benefit programs
• Faster adoption of new initiatives
• Fewer misunderstandings and missteps
• Stronger alignment between HR, leadership, and the front lines

Just as importantly, employees start to view their managers, not just as task managers, but as trusted guides and culture carriers.

It’s time to turn your managers into communication champions!

If you’re ready to ignite manager engagement and make leadership communication more intentional, consistent, and effective, we’re here to help.