The role of internal communications has undergone a seismic shift over the last two decades, moving from a peripheral administrative function to a central pillar of corporate strategy. At the forefront of this transformation is Rebekah Metts-Childers, the current Vice President of Global Employee Communications at PepsiCo. Her career, which began during the volatile dot-com boom of the late 1990s, serves as a blueprint for how modern communicators can transcend traditional boundaries to become indispensable strategic partners to the C-suite.
Metts-Childers, who will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Ragan Internal Communications Conference at Microsoft’s headquarters this October, argues that the "trusted adviser" status is not granted by tenure but earned through a combination of business fluency, data-driven insights, and a relentless focus on team synergy. Her philosophy is rooted in the belief that employee communications is a collaborative discipline that fails when practiced in a vacuum.
The Chronological Evolution of a Communications Strategist
The career trajectory of Metts-Childers mirrors the broader evolution of the public relations industry. She began her journey at PR21 (now Zeno Group) during an era when technology and internet-based companies were first beginning to disrupt traditional market dynamics. Her first major account, Cars.com, represented an early foray into the digital-first communication strategies that would eventually become the industry standard.
Throughout the mid-2000s and 2010s, Metts-Childers refined her expertise across diverse sectors. Her nine-year tenure at Takeda Pharmaceuticals was particularly formative, as she navigated the complexities of corporate communications and business transformation within a highly regulated industry. This period was followed by executive leadership roles at Gagen MacDonald and a stint leading the employee engagement practice at Brunswick Group.
By the time she joined PepsiCo, a global giant with a workforce exceeding 300,000 employees, her approach had crystallized into a four-part leadership framework: transparency, predictability, appreciation, and partnership. These pillars, she contends, are the essential ingredients for building a culture of trust that can withstand the pressures of a global market.
The Four Cornerstones of Modern Leadership
In her dialogue with industry analysts, Metts-Childers emphasizes that the way a leader "shows up" is just as important as the strategy they execute. Her leadership model is designed to eliminate the friction often found in large corporate environments.
1. Transparency as an Enabler
Metts-Childers posits that transparency is the antidote to corporate inefficiency. "We’ve all had the moments where we want to do our job, but we don’t have the information we need because somebody hasn’t shared it," she notes. In her view, withholding information—even if it is preliminary—ties the hands of a team. By sharing feedback and data early, leaders empower their subordinates to be "exceptional" rather than merely functional.
2. The Value of Predictability
While innovation requires change, Metts-Childers argues that the emotional state of a leader should remain constant. She compares leadership to parenting, stating that employees should never have to guess their manager’s mood or expectations. A "color chart" approach to leadership, where employees must navigate "red" or "blue" moods, creates unnecessary anxiety that stifles creativity and speed.
3. Appreciation for the "Unsexy" Work
In high-stakes corporate environments, the spotlight often falls on major launches and flashy campaigns. However, Metts-Childers believes that long-term cultural health is built on acknowledging the "small stuff." Valuing the mundane but essential tasks ensures that the entire workforce feels seen, preventing the burnout that often plagues back-office functions.
4. Partnership and Barrier Removal
The final pillar is a commitment to "doing the work" alongside the team. Metts-Childers rejects the "good luck, let me know how it goes" style of management. Instead, she views her role as a barrier-remover, actively participating in the execution of strategy to ensure that her team is never left to navigate complex challenges alone.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Beyond Vanity Metrics
One of the most significant challenges for internal communicators is proving the ROI of their efforts. Metts-Childers argues that the transition to a trusted adviser requires a move away from "vanity metrics"—such as email open rates or simple page views—toward data that reflects business outcomes.
At PepsiCo, the use of platforms like Viva Engage provides a wealth of data. Metts-Childers points out that while high engagement on a "pet-focused" channel is a positive indicator of culture and employee connection, it must be balanced with metrics that track the alignment of the workforce with the company’s strategic goals.
"How do you become a trusted adviser? That’s understanding business priorities and the metrics and measurement against those," she explains. The "perfect circle" of communication involves identifying a business need, building the right content channels to address it, and then measuring whether that outreach actually drove the desired outcome, such as improved safety records, higher retention, or faster adoption of new technologies.
Supporting Data on Internal Communications Impact
Recent industry research supports Metts-Childers’ emphasis on strategic IC. According to a 2023 report by Gallup, companies with highly engaged workforces see a 21% increase in profitability. Furthermore, McKinsey & Company found that productivity improves by 20-25% in organizations where employees feel well-connected. These statistics provide the "business case" that Metts-Childers encourages communicators to bring to the table.
Earning a Seat at the Table Through Business Fluency
The most poignant advice Metts-Childers offers to aspiring communications leaders is to "know the business." She warns that communicators who expect to be educated on business operations by their peers will quickly find themselves excluded from high-level decision-making.
To earn a "seat at the table," IC professionals must be able to engage in "banter" about investor focus, market restrictions, and operational interdependencies. "The moment you have a discussion that thinks about their restrictions and their needs, they want you back," she says. This requires a shift from being a "command taker"—someone who simply puts news in a newsletter—to a strategic consultant who can explain why a certain communication might or might not align with the company’s broader financial goals.
She utilizes a specific mantra displayed on her screen: "Your peers have to enjoy buying it from you." This does not imply a need for superficial friendliness, but rather a level of expertise that makes stakeholders feel "smarter and more prepared" after interacting with the communications team.
Managing High Stakes: The 22-Minute Typo
The true test of a communications strategy often comes during moments of crisis. Metts-Childers recalls a high-stakes global launch at PepsiCo involving a coordinated release across social media, the intranet, and a CEO-wide email. Minutes before the launch, a team member discovered a typo.
In many organizations, such a discovery would lead to a "freak out" or a search for someone to blame. However, because of the culture of partnership Metts-Childers fostered, the team responded with calm efficiency. The content and video teams coordinated a fix, the timing was adjusted across all platforms, and the launch proceeded 22 minutes late.
"Literally no one cared," she reflects. The success of the moment was not in the 22-minute delay, but in the psychological safety of the team. Because they knew how to work together and felt supported, they were able to solve a problem that could have otherwise derailed a massive corporate milestone.
Broader Implications for the Future of Work
As PepsiCo manages a diverse workforce of 300,000 people across different socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, and regions, Metts-Childers’ emphasis on "flexibility and localization" becomes a vital case study for the future of global business. What works for a regional head in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) may not work for a plant manager in North America.
The implication is clear: the future of internal communications lies in the ability to scale empathy. By using data to understand localized needs and business fluency to align those needs with global strategy, communicators can bridge the gap between the executive suite and the front line.
Metts-Childers’ journey from the early days of Cars.com to the heights of PepsiCo leadership serves as a reminder that while the tools of communication—from newsletters to AI—will continue to change, the core of the profession remains human-centric. The formula for becoming a trusted adviser is simple in theory but demanding in practice: learn the business, trust the team, and never stop advocating for the employee experience.
Rebekah Metts-Childers will continue to share these insights alongside leaders from the Gates Foundation, Newell Brands, and CVS Health at the upcoming Ragan Internal Communications Conference. Her perspective offers a vital roadmap for any professional looking to turn the "unsexy" work of internal comms into a powerhouse of corporate strategy.
