Are You Saying Enough About Tariffs? How Silence Hurts Confidence

As economic uncertainty continues to dominate the news cycle, many employees are left wondering: how will this affect me? In May 2025, the Center for Workforce Transformation surveyed over 1,500 full- and part-time employees. Of these respondents, more than half said they’ve received little or no information from their organization’s leadership about the potential impact of tariffs.

At the same time, 60% of respondents believe tariffs will negatively affect the U.S. economy. Nearly half believe their own industry will be impacted. When those concerns go unaddressed, they don't just shape opinions, they have real consequences for trust, performance, and personal well-being.

This blog highlights the communication gaps many organizations face and offers clear steps leaders can take to build confidence and keep employees engaged through uncertainty.

How Are Communication Gaps about Tariffs Undermining Confidence?

Many employees are not hearing from their leaders about the potential impact of tariffs:

• 35% said they have received no communication from leadership on this topic.
• 19% said leadership acknowledged the issue but noted that the effects are still unknown.
• Only 27% said leadership communicated a positive outlook about tariffs.

When communication is absent, engagement suffers. Just 47% of those who received no information about tariffs are fully engaged at work. By contrast, 66% of those told by their organization that tariffs would have a positive effect are fully engaged. Even in organizations where leadership communicates that they are not sure what impact tariffs will have, 50% of employees are fully engaged. 

What leaders can do:

• Start the conversation, even if you don’t have all the answers. Saying “we’re evaluating the situation” is better than saying nothing at all. Employees want reassurance that leadership is paying attention and thinking ahead.
  
  
• Acknowledge complexity while sharing what is known. You don’t need a perfect forecast, but you do need to explain how decisions are being made and what employees should expect in the short term.
• Align your messaging across levels of leadership. Inconsistent messaging from executives, people managers, or HR can erode trust even faster than silence.

Why Does Trust and Transparency Matter More Than Ever?

Employees who trust their organization to handle uncertainty are more likely to stay engaged. In our survey:

• 73% of fully engaged employees said their organization is being open and honest about the potential impact of tariffs and other economic shifts.
• Just 42% of less-engaged employees said the same.
• When asked if they trust their organization to navigate current trade and economic challenges, 79% of fully engaged employees agreed, compared to only 40% of their less engaged peers.

These findings align with broader research on change management and employee engagement, which shows that transparency during uncertain times is crucial for maintaining workforce confidence.

What leaders can do:

• Be candid, not just optimistic. Trust grows when people feel they’re being treated like insiders, not spectators. Share realistic scenarios, even if some include challenges or setbacks.
  
  
• Follow communication with clear actions. Employees want to see that you’re not just aware of the issue, but are taking steps to prepare for it — whether that means modeling financial caution or investing in supply chain resilience.
  
  
• Reinforce key messages through different channels. Use manager talking points, internal newsletters, or town halls to make sure transparency reaches every corner of the organization. You can follow up on these efforts by evaluating employee sentiment through point-in-time surveys or similar listening events to ensure you’re having the desired impact.

How Is Economic Anxiety Affecting Employee Well-Being?

A large portion of employees report experiencing stress-related symptoms at least once during the past week due to economic uncertainty. This includes:

• 54% said stress from economic uncertainty made it difficult to be productive at work.
• 54% said they lost sleep due to stress about the economy.
• 56% said they had difficulty enjoying activities in their personal life.
• 46% said stress had negatively affected their physical health.
• 44% said they engaged in unhealthy coping behaviors like overeating or drinking.
• 41% said it led to conflict with friends or family members.

Altogether, 60% of respondents said they had made at least one financial or career-related decision in response to economic concerns.

What leaders can do:

• Include economic stress in your broader well-being strategy. Support programs should acknowledge that financial uncertainty is a real and growing stressor for employees, not just something they deal with outside of work.
• Equip managers to lead with empathy. Give people leaders the language, flexibility, and tools they need to check in and help employees stay focused during uncertain times.
• Signal care through clarity. Sometimes the best way to support mental health is to reduce unnecessary worry. Even short, consistent updates can reduce the stress that comes from silence.

What Should Organizations Do to Rebuild Trust and Resilience?

Organizations don’t need perfect forecasts to lead effectively during uncertainty, but they do need a voice. When leaders step back, employees fill the silence with their own interpretations, often informed by fear or misinformation.

Clear, timely, and honest communication can make a measurable difference in how employees feel, perform, and engage with their work. The research shows that even acknowledging uncertainty while demonstrating thoughtful preparation can maintain higher levels of engagement than staying silent.

The key is to treat economic communication as an ongoing conversation, not a one-time announcement. Regular check-ins, updates on organizational preparation strategies, and opportunities for employee questions can help maintain confidence even when the economic outlook remains unclear.

How Can Perceptyx Help You Navigate Communication During Uncertainty?

If you're wondering whether your current messaging is building the confidence your workforce needs, it may be time to ask. Organizations that listen strategically and act decisively create workplaces where employees stay focused, informed, and ready for what's next.

At Perceptyx, we help organizations listen with purpose and respond with clarity through our comprehensive People Insights Platform. Whether you need to assess current sentiment around economic uncertainty, track the effectiveness of your communication strategy, or identify emerging stress points in your workforce, our solutions can provide the insights you need to act quickly and effectively.

Schedule a demo with our team to discover how our listening and action planning capabilities can help you build trust and resilience during times of economic uncertainty. For more insights like these on effective leadership communication and employee engagement,  subscribe to our blog.