If your communication strategy only works for half your crew, it's not a strategy—it's a risk. And in the trades, that risk doesn’t just affect productivity—it affects safety, morale, and retention.

Today’s job sites are made up of multiple generations working side by side, each with their own preferences, assumptions, and expectations around communication. You've got Boomers printing out emails, Gen Xers living by their calendars, Millennials juggling inboxes and Slack messages, and Gen Zers who'd prefer a quick text over a long meeting. When leaders fail to adapt their communication styles to meet their people where they are, messages get lost, accountability slips, and trust erodes.

We see this breakdown most often when companies introduce new tools or systems—like that HRIS app everyone’s supposed to download but no one knows how to use. Without proper guidance, the disconnect between intention and execution widens. What starts as a missed message becomes a safety issue. A dropped thread turns into a missed deadline. And an overwhelmed employee—who might have thrived with a little extra support—becomes your next resignation.

In this episode of The People Strategy Podcast, Traci Austin sits down with Dawn Hart, HR leader at Center Phase Energy and founder of Manage with Hart, to unpack the nuances of generational communication in the trades. Dawn brings more than three decades of HR experience across construction, utilities, and finance, along with sharp humor and clear-eyed leadership advice. Traci also introduces a concept called the Tough Talk Audit—a framework for leaders to address misalignment before it becomes a retention issue.

Whether you’re rolling out new systems, running storm crews, or simply trying to get your team on the same page, this episode offers the clarity and empathy leaders need to create communication strategies that work for everyone.