Delta issues apology following widespread cancellations, Employees claim AI decreases productivity

Greetings, comms pros! Let’s take a look at a few news stories from last week and see what we can learn from them.

1 . Delta issues a formal apology after massive delays and cancellations 

If you tried to book or change a flight, or even fly with Delta over the past week, you might have encountered some major frustrations. Following cybersecurity software company Crowdstrike’s global IT outage that struck last week, thousands of travelers were stuck at the airport, in cities far from home and without guidance, as Delta’s customer support team scrambled to assist. The outage lasted longer for Delta than other airlines.

Following the outage, Delta issued a formal apology to customers as CEO Ed Bastian assured stakeholders that systems would be back to normal on Thursday.

According to ABC News:

“Please accept our sincere apologies for the disruption to your recent travel plans caused by a vendor technology outage affecting airlines and companies worldwide,” the airline said. “Delta teams have been working tirelessly to restore our operation to get our customers safely to their final destinations. We understand that unexpected disruptions like this are difficult for everyone and do not reflect the operational reliability and experience you have come to know and expect from us.”

In addition to the apology, Delta also reportedly offered bonus miles and reimbursement for unexpected expenses for affected customers.

In the travel industry, events often happen that are beyond anyone’s control, but the response and communication in its aftermath are a chance to make things right. Delta’s prompt apology and willingness to offer its customers more than just words through bonus miles and other compensation offer an evergreen reminder: When things go wrong, don’t just say the right words — take the right actions to back them up too.

2. Humble Games positions massive layoffs as ‘restructuring’ 

During tough times like layoffs and job cuts, communication must be clear and decisive. In the recent case of video game publisher Humble Games, conflicting messages led to some confusion.

According to a report from Game Developer, the studio was first reported to have cut all roles in the organization and faced closure. Employees wrote about their experience on social media, calling out record profits in the industry and a lack of support for employees.

Well friends, me and the entirety of Humble Games was laid off this morning

If you need senior/lead QA at your game studio HI HELLO I DON’T HAVE A JOB ANYMOOOORE! pic.twitter.com/giAPAiTDsx

— 🎃Emil-EEK!🎃 (@Emilee3D) July 23, 2024

After the news broke, Humble Games claimed it wasn’t shutting down, but simply “restructuring”. 

In a statement provided to Game Developer, Humble said its game publishing label is “undergoing restructuring” rather than fully shutting down. This restructure “involved much deliberation and careful thought, with the goal of ensuring the stability and support of our developers and ongoing projects.”

“We are acutely aware of the profound impact this decision has on our team members at Humble Games and deeply empathize with everyone affected. Our team’s contributions have been world-class and invaluable, supporting the launch of our games since we started publishing in 2017.”

When layoff comms happen,  ensure that your comms efforts are entirely aligned and that you’re leading with empathy and clarity. Conflicting messages, false news about a shutdown, and limited information on a restructuring simply stand to confuse current and former employees and hurt the potential for future recruitment. Speak with intentionality and care in these moments, or it may come back to bite you.

3. Nearly 8 in 10 employees say AI decreases productivity

Over the past year or so, there’s been quite a bit of chatter in comms circles about how AI will improve productivity. However, a recent study shows that many employees are seeing AI as a hindrance to their production levels rather than a help.

The study, by Forbes in collaboration with The Upwork Research Institute, revealed that while 96% of C-Suite executives expected AI to boost production, 77% of employees reported the tech adding unforseen complexities and roadblocks to productivity. Also, 47% of employees surveyed reported not being sure how to achieve the productivity levels that their higher-ups expect with the implementation of AI.

Any major shifts in how AI will augment workflows should be discussed openly by leadership before expectations are agreed upon by both leaders and employees. Misaligned expectations simply serve to sow the seeds of discontent and poor culture. A major workplace practice shift like automation and AI needs to be approached with care and concern for how it’ll affect people’s jobs and workflows. Open and clear discussions that outline capabilities and exactly what is and isn’t realistic to expect should take top priority.

4. How about some good news?

• A California city is experimenting with reusable cups at several fast-casual restaurants.
• Scientists have discovered a new antidote for cobra bites.
• A British man built an electricity-generating windmill in his garden.
• Ragan Training is great for communications pros to find inspiration and resources.
• You should be rewarded for your work. Find out how to earn an award here!

Have a great weekend comms all-stars!

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports, a good pint and ’90s trivia night.