Companies are increasingly sharing authentic employee stories to redefine workplace culture and values.
Lauryn Sargent of Stories Incorporated notes a shift towards narratives that were once considered taboo, such as women's health issues.
Authentic storytelling is replacing traditional value statements, providing tangible evidence of a company's character.
Misleading stories that don't reflect company culture can lead to employee turnover, highlighting the need for genuine narratives.
Work and life no longer exist in separate boxes. A more honest workplace is emerging, where employees no longer hide what they're going through and companies are forced to rethink how they define culture through actions. Companies are leaning on real stories to do what value statements can’t; and the ones that resonate most are often those they once avoided.
Lauryn Sargent, Co-Founder of the employee storytelling firm Stories Incorporated, has spent over a decade helping companies uncover and share their culture in ways that actually connect. And now, she's seeing a profound change in the narratives organizations are not just willing, but eager, to tell.
From taboo to gold: "In the past year, we have heard so many stories about how organizations are supporting women to start their families through IVF, supporting them through miscarriages, even menopause," Sargent says. "Things that were taboo topics five years ago, organizations are waking up to how telling those stories can impact their employees' lives." This isn't happening by accident. It's a deliberate choice by companies that are actively mining for these narratives.
Sargent points to a recent project with BAE Systems, where a powerful story about an employee’s journey to start her family was almost left on the cutting room floor. The client, however, saw its deeper value. "I loved that the BAE team picked it out to say, 'Let's actually extend this and make it its own standalone. Let's not miss this gold,'" she recalls.
See it to believe it: Companies are willing to be more "adventurous" because the old methods of communicating culture have lost their impact. In a sea of career sites all claiming to value "respect" and "integrity," the words have become forgettable noise. An authentic story, however, provides tangible, memorable evidence of a company's character. "The real experiences are the proof of who you say you are," Sargent states. While she sees value in the thoughtful work that goes into creating formal value statements, they remain inert until they are brought to life. "EVP and values statements are important work, but they aren't going to land on their own. Stories are what activate those statements and all the work that you've done to say who you are."
Beyond the blurb: First, it’s critical to distinguish a true story from a simple marketing blurb. "An employee testimonial is table stakes; it doesn't tell candidates anything about the culture," Sargent explains. "That's not a story because nothing has happened. For it to be a real story, it has to be an experience." When done right, these experiences create a powerful, self-sustaining cultural cycle. "It creates a flywheel: Employees join based on stories, then they experience that culture through things like onboarding or recognition, and then they're able to tell their own stories," Sargent said. "It just reinforces itself."
The main character: Yet a beautiful story that doesn't reflect the broader reality of the company culture is not just misleading—it's actively harmful. "It can be quite dangerous when you tell stories that aren't representative of the reality, because people come into a company with an expectation. If it doesn't match, then there's turnover," Sargent warns. To avoid this, a story must be representative of a pervasive cultural truth. It cannot be an anomaly.
The company must also be a central character. "If you're just talking about an employee's personal life, the story has no longer shelf life if that person leaves," she says. Without that connection, the story loses its strategic value.
No more secrets: "The rise in women's health stories is a big deal," Sargent notes. "We uncovered a story about an employee being supported through a miscarriage—it's so common, but it's treated like this big secret. To see companies stepping up and talking about those real moments is great." The trend ultimately reflects a fundamental shift in what companies value. It’s a move away from curated perfection and toward authentic, human connection.
The future belongs to those who are brave enough to look for the real stories within their walls. "What excites me most is when clients are ready to be adventurous and tell fuller stories," says Sargent. "It's that moment of recognizing the value in their team's experiences and saying, 'Let's not miss this gold.'"
