Welcome to this week’s Employee Experience Magazine newsletter.

As summer winds down and September rolls around, there’s that familiar sense of work shifting back up a gear.

This week, we’re looking at what leaders do when they don’t have all the answers, whether offices can prove they’re worth the commute, the story of one company allowing employees to use AI to code and release updates direct to customers, and why so many orgs still feel underprepared for change.

We’ll also be sharing more stories, research and workplace debates throughout each week on the Employee Experience Magazine LinkedIn page, so do follow us there if you haven’t already.

Plus, September’s events worth having on your radar.

Leading through uncertainty: Why employees don’t need leaders with all the answers 

What do you tell employees about the future of their jobs when you’re still figuring it out yourself? Skillsoft research finds 69% of employees are unclear about which skills will matter most for their future success. Leena Rinne argues that leaders don’t need to predict exactly what AI will do next, but they do need to give people something more useful than vague reassurance: clarity about what is changing, which skills matter and where they can go from here.

Read the full article.

300 people are about to test what makes an office worth coming to

What if, instead of having another argument about return-to-office mandates, we built a workplace and watched what happened?

In the North of England this September, 300 people are taking part in a live workplace experiment exploring what makes an office worth the journey, from relationships and belonging to neuroinclusion, wellbeing and performance. It won’t tell employers there is one perfect workplace, or prove that a particular design boosts productivity for every business. What works for one organisation may be completely wrong for another.

But it does offer something the return-to-office debate often lacks: a chance to observe how people actually experience different workplace conditions, rather than simply arguing about how many days they should show up.

Read the full article.

Stay current with key headlines and announcements from across the industry.

A few dates worth having on your radar this September, from employee experience and internal communications to workplace wellbeing. You can also browse our full events calendar for conferences, summits and industry dates throughout the year.

Future of Work USA 2026
15–16 September | Dallas, Texas
Senior leaders share strategies and ideas for navigating the changing world of work.
Find out more

ECE Washington 2026: Employee Communications & Experience
29 September–1 October | Washington, DC
A conference for corporate communicators focused on improving employee experience through stronger communication.
Find out more

Wellbeing at Work UK Summit 2026
22–24 September | London, Manchester & online
Wellbeing strategy, leadership roundtables and keynotes, with free places for qualifying in-house HR and wellbeing leaders.
Find out more

Unite 26
29–30 September | London
Employee experience, digital workplace and internal communications, with case studies and peer discussion.
Find out more