For many organizations, town halls are a familiar forum to share updates, answer questions, and help leaders connect with staff in a visible, transparent way.
But during times of uncertainty, social tension, or tragedy in the world, they can also serve a deeper purpose: giving staff space to talk about sensitive issues that originate outside of work but still affect how they show up within it.
That鈥檚 the approach we鈥檝e been exploring over the past several years at AMC as we鈥檝e made room for internal town halls on topics that can be difficult, polarizing, or even considered taboo to discuss in the workplace.
Over the last five years, we鈥檝e hosted town halls for staff on issues including the overturning of Roe v. Wade; the mass shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde, and Highland Park; the changing landscape of diversity, equity, and inclusion; the effects of federal policy changes and executive orders; and the tragedies that took place in Minnesota earlier this year.
The purpose of these town halls has been to give our teams and colleagues a place to reflect, connect, and feel a sense of community while talking about events beyond the workplace that can carry over within it. Over time, these have become a meaningful part of AMC鈥檚 culture and reflect our belief that connection matters, difficult conversations can be handled with care, and differing perspectives can be shared respectfully.
Why We Make Room for Sensitive-Issue Conversations
- They build connections and community by showing our colleagues that their experiences matter.
- They strengthen psychological safety by making space for different viewpoints to be shared without fear of reprisals.
- They help us better support our clients. Many of our association clients are navigating these same issues, and making time to come together helps us respond with greater empathy and perspective.
How to Set Your Town Hall Up for Success
As we鈥檝e learned over time, town halls on sensitive topics take more than good intentions. They need structure, clarity, skilled facilitation, and a willingness to sit with some potential discomfort.
If you鈥檙e planning this kind of forum, here are a few practices that have helped us create space for a thoughtful and supportive conversation.
- Set ground rules early. Let staff know the topic in advance and be clear that the goal is to listen, learn, and support one another鈥攏ot to debate or convince.
- Honor each person鈥檚 experience. Avoid correcting, dismissing, or minimizing what someone shares. The goal is to offer a place where individuals feel comfortable sharing honestly.
- Make room for silence. Quiet moments and pauses don鈥檛 mean the conversation has stalled. Often, they mean people are taking in something important.
- Expect emotion. These conversations can bring up feelings of sadness, anger, grief, worry, or even hope. Making room for those responses helps people feel seen and heard instead of shut down.
- Be ready to redirect. If tensions rise, acknowledge what is happening, pause, and guide the discussion back to the purpose of the session.
- Use a skilled moderator. A strong facilitator can keep the conversation grounded, invite in quieter voices, and step in when needed.
- Focus on support, not solutions. Not every town hall needs to end with an action plan. Sometimes the value is simply in creating room for reflection and open conversation.
- Close with self-care reminders. Encourage people to take care of themselves afterward, whether that means stepping away from social media, limiting news intake, or reaching out to someone they trust.
What happens in the world doesn鈥檛 stay outside when people walk into the office or log on for the day. Creating space for open, thoughtful conversation around sensitive issues can strengthen connection, support culture, and model the kind of leadership people need during difficult times.
Katherine Wayne is senior manager of corporate communications at AMC.
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