When HR and communications collide: How to build a stronger partnership and define clear roles

Sara Griggs is VP of global corporate communications & brand for Brightcove.

At its best, the partnership between communications and HR is one of the most valuable in any organization. Together, these teams shape company culture, strengthen employee engagement and ensure leadership messaging is clear, transparent and inspiring. When HR and communications are aligned, the entire organization benefits: employees feel informed and connected, executives gain credibility, and the company’s external and internal narratives work in sync.

However, tensions can arise when there’s a lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities, particularly when it comes to executive and internal communications. Who owns CEO messaging? Who leads crisis communications? Should internal comms be integrated with external storytelling? If left unanswered, these are critical questions that can lead to inefficiencies, mixed messaging, and competing strategies.

So what happens when HR and communications don’t see eye to eye? More importantly, how can both teams work together effectively without stepping on each other’s toes?

Where the friction comes from

It’s understandable that both HR and communications feel a deep responsibility for internal messaging. HR’s expertise lies in establishing company culture, employee engagement, and internal policies, while communications specializes in shaping narratives, protecting brand reputation, and aligning messaging across all stakeholders (internal and external).

The challenge arises when:

• HR prioritizes internal messaging as part of its core responsibilities, even when the messaging also impacts external stakeholders.
• The communications team isn’t looped into major employee-facing announcements that have brand and reputational implications.
• The CEO’s voice becomes fragmented between HR-driven and communications-driven messaging, causing inconsistencies in leadership positioning.
• Crisis communication efforts are siloed, leading to delays, misalignment or unclear messaging in high-stakes situations.

While these tensions are common, they don’t have to create roadblocks. With the right approach, HR and communications can be powerful allies, ensuring that messaging is both strategic and impactful.

Why CEO communications should be led by comms

One of the biggest areas of debate is who owns CEO communications. While HR plays a vital role in shaping company culture, executive messaging must remain within communications.

Here’s why:

• A CEO’s audience is broader than employees. Their messaging impacts investors, board members, customers, partners and industry leaders — not just internal teams.
• Alignment between internal and external comms is critical. What a CEO says to employees often ends up in the public domain, whether through media leaks, social sharing or investor scrutiny.
• Strategic positioning requires a broader lens. Communications leaders are trained to craft narratives that drive business outcomes, ensuring that CEO messaging strengthens brand reputation, thought leadership and market influence.
• Crisis management requires agility and experience. In high-pressure situations, clear, strategic messaging is paramount. Communications teams are equipped to manage reputation risks while ensuring transparency and trust.

That said, HR is a crucial partner in internal storytelling. Employee engagement, change management and culture-building efforts thrive when communications and HR work together to ensure messaging is both strategic and people-centered.

How to strengthen the HR and communications partnership

If HR and communications find themselves at odds, here are some ways to build alignment and create a more effective partnership:

Define clear roles and responsibilities

The best way to avoid tension is to establish clear ownership from the start. A strong partnership begins with mutual respect and a shared understanding of strengths:

• HR should lead internal policy communications, benefits messaging, DEI initiatives and employee engagement efforts.
• Communications should own executive messaging, external/internal alignment, corporate storytelling and crisis communications.
• Both teams should collaborate on change management, employer branding and major company announcements.

Foster open communication and collaboration

Instead of working in silos, HR and Communications should meet regularly to align on messaging, strategy, and upcoming initiatives. Keeping an open line of communication prevents last-minute surprises, mixed messaging, and duplicated efforts.

Prioritize transparency and business objectives

It’s easy for internal power struggles to arise when decisions are made based on departmental control rather than business impact. When determining who should lead a communications effort, the guiding question should always be: What best serves the business, the employees and the external brand?

Ensure CEO messaging is aligned across all stakeholders

A CEO’s voice is one of the most powerful assets a company has, and it must be consistent, strategic and aligned with broader business goals. While HR plays a critical role in shaping culture, executive communications should be owned by the communications team to maintain credibility, alignment, and impact.

Find opportunities to partner and build trust

The best HR-comms partnerships happen when both teams lean into each other’s strengths. Communications can help HR craft compelling, engaging messaging, while HR can provide valuable insights into employee sentiment that help shape internal narratives.

Communications and HR should be partners, not competitors

When communications and HR work together effectively, the entire organization benefits. Employees feel more informed, leadership messaging is clearer, and the company’s external and internal reputation remains strong.

But when roles aren’t clearly defined, power struggles can create unnecessary friction that slows down messaging, creates confusion, and ultimately impacts business success.

The key to success? Establish clear roles, prioritize alignment and lead with business impact. When communications and HR operate as true partners, the result is a more engaged workforce, a stronger brand, and a more effective leadership voice.