For years, PDF and PowerPoint have been the default tools for business communication. We have all used them and, in many cases, still rely on them. But the way we work has changed.
How people consume information has changed. Expectations around accessibility and inclusion have changed. Yet many organisations are still sending out critical information in formats that no longer meet the needs of a modern workforce.
Accessibility plays a big part in today’s society. Employees expect content that is easy to read, simple to navigate and available to everyone, regardless of device, ability or learning style. A static PDF simply cannot deliver that. Once you send it, you have no idea who has opened it, who struggled with it or who could not access it at all. It is a closed format that offers no insight and very little flexibility.
Many people assume accessibility is only about adding alt text or increasing font size, but it goes much further than that. True accessibility means your content works for everyone, including people using screen readers, keyboard navigation tools or assistive technology. Static formats struggle with this because they were never built for modern accessibility standards.
A PDF might appear fine on the surface, but unless it has been properly tagged, structured and tested. Large parts of the audience will find it difficult or impossible to use. That is a reality, many organisations overlook. Accessible content should not be a separate version or an afterthought, it should be default, and that simply is not possible on static documents.
PowerPoint brings its own set of challenges. It works well when someone is standing in front of a room delivering a presentation, but it does not translate into an effective communication tool. As soon as you save it as a PDF or drop it into an email, you lose structure and flow. Most importantly, you have no visibility of how people interact with it or whether they understand the content.
The problem becomes more obvious when you look at the type of information organisations are still sending in these formats.
These are all important touchpoints and yet the format itself makes it difficult for people to engage. In some cases, the format makes it difficult for people to access full stop.
We simply cannot ignore how easily content becomes uncontrolled. The moment a PDF or PowerPoint is downloaded, it leaves the organisations ownership. Versions spread across shared drives, email threads and personal folders, older version get forwarded, policies that were updated months ago continue to circulate because someone kept a local copy. HR Teams spend hours trying to correct old documents that keep resurfacing. Compliance teams are left dealing with the risk of outdated information being used in real situations. When content is not centralised and controlled, it creates an inconsistency, confusion and unnecessary risk.
We need to be honest with ourselves, that this is not good enough. Employees deserve content that is accessible, consistent and genuinely useful. HR and Learning teams need something that allows them to see who is engaging and who might need additional support. Leaders need confidence that their communication is reaching every person, not just the ones who happen to open a PDF on the right device.
Interactive content changes this completely. When you can create something in minutes, ensure it reflects your brand and make it accessible and simple for everyone to use, you raise the standard. When you can see exactly how people interact with the content, you gain a level of clarity that static formats will never provide.
This is the difference between guessing and knowing. This shift is overdue. PDF and PowerPoint will always have a place, but they are no longer good enough for organisations that take communication, learning and accessibility seriously. People expect more. And rightly so. We should be giving them content that works for everyone, not just the few who happen to find it easy.
Moving away from static formats is not about keeping up with trends. It is about doing the right thing. It is about making communication inclusive and measurable. It is about giving teams the ability to create content that supports every employee, not just the ones who fit the format.
The organisations that embrace this change now will see immediate improvements. Better engagement. Better learning outcomes. A better experience for every employee. And, importantly, communication that is accessible to all.
This is the standard we should all be setting; inclusion is not negotiable.