But when you’re speaking to 1800 people, that sense of intimacy is at risk. 

The danger is that it feels like broadcasting rather than a conversation. People switch off, distractions creep in, and the opportunity to connect is lost.

The challenge is simple: how do you make a large-scale event feel personal and relevant for everyone in the room - or on the live stream?

Why intimacy matters at scale.

People don’t just want updates; they want to feel seen. A company town hall is not only about sharing information - it’s about building culture and strengthening belonging.

Psychology tells us that people are more engaged when they feel personally included.

A 2016 study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology explored how employees respond to corporate communication. The research showed that when leaders frame messages in ways that highlight the personal relevance of the information, employees report significantly higher engagement, trust, and recall.

The study compared two groups: one received generic organisational updates, while the other heard the same updates but framed with examples relevant to specific teams and roles. The second group was not only more attentive during the communication but also more likely to remember the content and take follow-up action.

The takeaway is clear:  If they understand how the message relates to them, they listen. If they feel it has nothing to do with their role, they tune out.

The good news: scale does not have to mean distance. With the right approach, you can create an intimate experience even for a crowd of thousands.

Start with the goal.

Before you design the event, ask yourself what the main objective is. If the town hall is about updates and strategy, the focus should be on keeping things simple, clear, and structured. If it’s about celebrating culture and people, the priority shifts towards energy, interaction, and storytelling.

The way you create intimacy will always depend on which of these goals is driving the event.

When the focus is business updates.

If the main aim is to share strategy or updates, clarity becomes everything. People need to leave with a shared understanding of what’s happening and why it matters to them.

The first step is to keep things simple. Use plain language, avoid jargon, and present information in a way that is easy to absorb. Timelines and expected outcomes are far more valuable than overloaded slides.

Next, make the updates relevant. Show people how the changes impact their department, their team, or even their individual roles. A restructuring, for example, is not just about shifting boxes on a chart; it’s about new opportunities, different workloads, or greater access to leadership.

Finally, always recap and direct. Summarise the key updates, be clear on next steps, and tell people where to go if they have questions or concerns. When people see how the updates connect to their world, the size of the audience matters less.

When the focus is culture and people.

If the event is about celebrating achievements and recognising people, the challenge is to keep it personal, energetic, and engaging.

That begins with delivery. A scripted presentation can easily feel robotic, so use clear, everyday language. A co-host can add flow and energy, while rhetorical questions can give the impression of including the audience.

Interactivity is the next step. Encourage people to share their thoughts in the chat, run live polls, or ask questions in real time. Get the conversation going even before the event officially starts. Something as simple as asking where people are joining from can build momentum. Assign moderators to keep the chat alive so no one feels like they’re speaking into the void.

A live Q&A session is also powerful. Taking questions as they come in shows people you’re listening and reacting. It turns a broadcast into a conversation.

Stories matter too. Share real examples of success or growth journeys within the company. People connect far more with the story of a colleague who advanced from assistant to senior than with a graph or statistic. 

When you make it personal, you make it memorable.

Finally, be clear with communication before the event. Tell people what the session is for, ask them what they’d like to hear, and follow up on past updates so they see progress over time.

The mindset that makes the difference.

At the heart of all this is one simple question: what’s in it for me? Every attendee is asking it, whether they’re in the front row or watching from a laptop. If you can answer that question throughout the event, you keep their attention.

You won’t reach everyone every time, and that’s fine. But if each person walks away with at least one thing that feels personal to them, you’ve achieved intimacy - even in a room of 1800.