Solving Problems, Not Chasing Trends: Lessons from Our Autumn Launch

For over two decades, I’ve had the privilege of working in the digital employee experience space. During that time, I’ve watched organisations across countless sectors navigate extraordinary change.

Change is constant, but progress comes from asking the right questions. That principle has guided Interact for years, including how we approach innovation.

The World We’re Working In

As we close out the year, the pace of business is accelerating. Employees’ preferences and communication styles have evolved. Budgets are tighter, and every dollar must prove ROI. And new technologies – particularly AI – are reshaping the way we work.

At Interact, we’re no strangers to AI. We’ve been innovating with it for over a decade, long before it became a buzzword. But this year, the conversation has shifted: everyone is asking how to plug AI, and agentic AI in particular, into their workflows.

Our Approach: Solve Problems First

Our answer isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about a mindset shift that applies as much to us as platform builders as it does to internal communicators. Rather than building a hammer and then searching for a nail, we start by understanding the real problems that need solving.

That’s why, over the past six months, we’ve consulted with customers, industry leaders, internal communications professionals, and conducted our own research. Our goal was to uncover the challenges that matter most. Because the right solution isn’t always the obvious one.

Here’s what we found:

• Too many tools: Employees experience whiplash from constant context switching when they just want to complete simple tasks.
• Wins don’t scale: Successes happen, but they’re hard to replicate across dispersed frontline teams and regions.
• Focus is elusive: With so much happening, knowing where to prioritise is nearly impossible.

We asked ourselves: What’s the best way to solve these problems?

The answer was a combination of deeper integrations, smoother workflows, new tools – and yes, innovative applications of agentic AI. You can read more about these features in our Autumn Launch press release.

Advice for Comms Teams

I share this not simply to explain how we decide what to build next. I share it as guidance for internal communications professionals navigating a similarly challenging landscape.

For too long, comms teams have waited for instructions: “Send this email,” “Create this video,” “Post about this update.” In other words, build a hammer.

Instead, there’s an opportunity to be strategic drivers of change. Go and find the nails, ie: the real problems within your organisation. Consult with stakeholders, understand their goals, and then propose solutions that help achieve them.

You are uniquely positioned to influence outcomes and demonstrate value. That means looking beyond the immediate request and uncovering what the business doesn’t yet know it needs.

Consider a major HR initiative like open enrolment. Traditionally, comms would publish the provided content and move on. Today, the opportunity is to monitor sentiment and surface unanswered questions before they become pain points so that employees feel better informed and supported.

The same applies during large-scale change initiatives. Historically, comms teams launched campaigns, measured success at the end, and adjusted next time. But now, with real-time data and feedback, you can pivot mid-campaign. If engagement metrics show a message isn’t landing (low click-through rates, negative comments), you don’t have to wait for the post-rollout survey. Flag it, propose a shift, and adjust messaging while the campaign is live.

Ultimately, this is about moving from a “build the hammer” to a “find the nails” mindset. Ask the right questions, keep your ear to the ground, and advise your business partners on how best to amplify key messages. That is how comms uncovers issues, shapes outcomes, and proves its value.

Our Autumn Launch

As for us, we couldn’t be more excited about what this Autumn Launch represents. It’s not just about new features, but a new way of thinking about employee experience. It’s about solving real problems, driving meaningful change, and helping organisations thrive in a world that never seems to stand still.