10 Things Your Employees Aren’t Telling You

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There is almost an implied stand-off between most executives and employees.

Don’t tell me what I don’t want to hear and things will move along just fine. The problem for leadership is they need to hear real feedback or they begin to believe their own perspective on the needs and tone of their team.

1. Money is only the minimum we need to be happy.

It’s true that most people work so they can earn a paycheck, but money is rarely the reason people leave or stay at a company. People need to feel they are contributing and appreciated. They want to advance their own learning and improve their self-worth. If you want to attract and retain great talent, find ways to make work about their personal growth and happiness beyond the basic salary.

2. We’re not getting paid what we’re worth.

Employees need to feel appreciated, but a company needs to stay profitable. Money can be an awkward subject for employees to bring up; they don’t want to seem ungrateful or greedy and it may be unclear how to advance financially if pay systems are arbitrary. Open book management and standardized compensation can go a long way in giving the employees control over their compensation. Quarterly one-on-ones are crucial to discuss progress to date, and expectations moving forward for both compensation and deliverables. Better to decide if the expectations are reasonable in advance and let the employee drive the process for success.

3. That’s nice that you’re an entrepreneur, but this is just my job.

An entrepreneur’s enthusiasm can be exciting and overwhelming to employees. It’s admirable to push hard on a path to greatness despite all odds, but for many amazing employees, it’s just too much to live in that mental and emotional space all the time. You hire people for their talents and capabilities. Respect that they have their own outlook on life. Find ways to meet both your needs and objectives so everyone feels appreciated for the life path they have chosen and can define success in their own terms.

4. Sometimes, we have a better solution.

Leaders make many decisions in a day. Some choices require counsel from employees; some don’t, or so you may think. It’s easy to become so accustom to independent decision-making that you forget to consult your employees as often as you should. But making isolated decisions may negatively impact areas you haven’t considered. Your team works more closely with your products and processes. They may have critical insights into finding the best solution.

5. We’re overwhelmed.

No one wants to admit to falling behind or biting off more than they can chew, especially when first starting out in a position. You have nothing to lose by inquiring, as they may admit to being in trouble. Monitor your employees just enough to gauge whether they can take on more or are getting buried. Open the lines of communication and encourage honest assessments. Prioritize success first and ego last. Soon you’ll find people will be willing to take on more load for the right reasons.

6. Looking over our shoulder doesn’t make us work faster.

While monitoring employee progress is key for timely success, too much input from a manager can create excess pressure and actually hinder the process. Micromanaging employees’ workloads can deplete their confidence in being able to accomplish a task on their own, or imply that you don’t have faith in their capabilities. It also eats up additional time for both the manager and the employee. Set expectations and then give the room for the employee to be accountable. Reasonable check points will keep things from getting too far out of control.

7. We can’t get there if we don’t understand where we are going.

Leaders want followers but the best employees won’t follow blindly. Smart people need to comprehend the big picture so they can make appropriate decisions for the company. If you have a vision, share it. If you don’t have one, do the hard work with your team to set a target you all can believe in. When big decisions appear to be arbitrarily made in the C-suite, misunderstandings and fragmented communications trickle down through silos. Organizations, especially big ones, often suffer from a lack of trust. All of this results in employees disconnecting, becoming inefficient and unhappy.

8. Respect our down time, for your sake.

Advancements in communication technology have added some convenience but often are intrusive on work-life balance. Employees are now reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They may feel obligated to match the work of co-workers and managers, answering emails and texts late at night and on weekends. For smart people to be at their best, they need downtime. Establish appropriate protocols and expectations so employees aren’t overstressed and completely drained.

9. I’m bored.

The worst feeling an employee can experience is uselessness. Either they have too little work or the work isn’t challenging. Boredom can deplete engagement and promote a negative office atmosphere. Work with your team to adequately share the workload and to make sure they are engaged. Monitor productivity and communicate often about milestones. If people have capacity, refocus them on new challenges that will move the company forward.

10. Being vocal and honest doesn’t always work.

If you are not hearing the above statements from your employees, perhaps you are one of the few lucky managers whose employees don’t have any of these opinions or feelings. Or, you may not be fostering a safe environment for people to express themselves, and you are oblivious to what is going on around you. One way or another, the truth will come out, so take a proactive approach and encourage them to speak their minds and then address their concerns accordingly. Otherwise, they’ll just go back to lying to you and you can live happily in your bubble?until it pops.

This article first published on Ignite, the official blog of YPO ? Young Presidents’ Organization.

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