Dear all: how bosses should talk to the troops

By the Editorial Team · Monday, October 5, 2026

Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy, has implemented a weekly interactive online meeting called “family dinner” to engage the company’s 13,000 employees across eight countries with updates, stories, and competitions. This approach fosters alignment and reinforces key corporate values like innovation and clean energy, demonstrating the importance of tailored internal communication in large, distributed organizations.

Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of Octopus Energy, has developed a distinctive approach to internal communication that sets his company apart. Since founding the British household energy supplier in 2015, Jackson has instituted a weekly online session known as “family dinner,” which takes place every Friday at 4:15 p.m. This informal, half-hour meeting features rapid-fire updates from Jackson and senior managers, designed to engage the company’s roughly 13,000 employees across eight countries.

During these sessions, Jackson shares stories from recent customer interactions, highlighting impacts such as a Manchester couple reducing their bills through renewable technology and a breast cancer survivor who credited the company’s support with easing financial strain. Updates from regional leaders are delivered with a blend of video clips, animations, and lively commentary. At a recent meeting, Jackson enthusiastically responded to reports that Octopus’s German division had won 36 industry awards and celebrated the company’s milestone of 600,000 customers in Japan.

In addition to providing news, Jackson incorporates interactive elements, like competitions that reward employees with trips for correctly guessing future renewable energy installation targets in China. This combines entertainment with reinforcing corporate priorities such as customer service, innovation, clean energy, and competitive pricing.

Jackson’s format alternates between global sessions, country-level meetings, and team-specific gatherings, with Jackson personally hosting three out of every four events. He acknowledges that the time commitment is substantial but considers the practice essential for maintaining alignment and clarity of objectives within a global workforce.

While Octopus’s privately held status and Jackson’s tech background facilitate a relaxed and playful communication style, other large organizations adopt different strategies suited to their scale and structure. HSBC CEO Georges Elhedery, who assumed his role in 2024 overseeing more than 200,000 employees across 56 countries, prioritizes internal communication through regular emails, regional town halls, panel discussions, and online events featuring external guests such as DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis.

Similarly, BBC director-general Matt Brittin engages the broadcaster’s staff through online question-and-answer sessions hosted by prominent presenters. At McKinsey, global managing partner Bob Sternfels maintains a regular blog and issues detailed letters addressing firm-wide developments and ideas.

Other executives use a range of methods including video messages, informal emails sharing personal updates, and interactive chats on platforms like Slack. Despite these varied approaches, the core challenge remains consistent: senior leaders must communicate their priorities clearly, thoughtfully, and consistently to foster engagement and focus across their organizations. Those who succeed in balancing clarity with approachability and even humor can significantly enhance internal cohesion, while others have much to gain from refining their communication efforts.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.