What Employees Hesitate to Tell Their Superiors - and Why They Choose to Quit
- by Victoria Robertz
- 3 Min
Workers' hidden reasons for leaving jobs and the secrecy surrounding their departures - Unspoken Grievances of Employees and the Hidden Reasons Behind Their Departure
In the eyes of Mr. Conrad, employees rarely voice their concerns directly to their superiors, resorting to quitting instead. But why? He asserts it's because individuals feel undervalued, a consequence of managers overestimating their communication prowess.
The Depth Behind Feelings of Invisibility
Employees may appear to quit due to a lack of attention; however, it's more than that. Human psychology demands that our basic needs are met, even in a work setting. Security is the foundation, and those who feel secure enough to reveal uncertainties or doubts are the exception rather than the rule — especially in remote or hybrid team scenarios where face-to-face interaction is limited.
Employees shy away from expressing their discontent to their superiors for fear of being at a disadvantage. Another reason may be their insecurity about their own performance, afraid to voice criticism because they question their contribution. In Germany, a staggering 45% of employees leave their job due to a lack of appreciation from their direct supervisor — a feeling that carries a hefty price tag for companies.
The Coverage After the Quitting Hour
When employees decide not to voice their concerns, they resort to vague reasons when quitting. Typical excuses include the environment not being a good fit or goals not being clearly defined. However, these reasons provide little insight for managers. So, the questions managers should be asking are: What did you miss? What did you need to be more satisfied in the team? Which need wasn’t met? It's ideal for these conversations to occur before it's too late.
Turning the Tables: empowering Employees to Speak Up
To enable employees to express unwelcome truths, managers must offer a safe space for conversation. This is largely achieved through active listening and building trust. Managers should focus on areas where employees can develop and contribute, avoiding empty praise that may foster dependencies. Show genuine interest in employees' work, engage in discussions about their ideas, and approaches.
Validate Your Message: ensure employees hear the message correctly
As a leader, it's crucial to understand whether your communication has reached its intended audience. One method is to simply ask for a summary of what the employee has understood. Those summarized points can then be compared to what the manager intended to convey. Through this feedback, many miscommunications can be quickly addressed.
Emotional Intelligence: The Key to Understanding Employees as Individuals
To better understand employees, it's helpful to view them as customers of your workplace's product. This perspective encourages leaders to ensure employees are not just satisfied but genuinely enthusiastic. This responsibility ultimately lies with the leader.Capital is a partner brand of the stern. Selected content can be viewed with your stern subscription. More from Capital can be found at www.stern.de/capital.
- Employee
- Leader
- Termination
Insights from Enrichment Data:
- Fear of retribution: Employees may hesitate to share their concerns due to fear of negative consequences, such as being viewed as a troublemaker or facing disciplinary action.
- Hierarchical structures: Organizational hierarchies can intimidate employees, making them uncomfortable sharing their opinions with management.
- Psychological barriers: Employees may feel undervalued or unsupported, leading to a lack of trust and willingness to communicate openly.
- Cultural and linguistic barriers: Differences in culture or language can create misunderstandings and make employees hesitant to express concerns.
- Lack of feedback culture: If employees feel that their feedback is not valued or heard, they may choose not to communicate their concerns.
- Strategies to Encourage Open Communication:
- Foster a culture where feedback is welcomed and valued
- Ensure that employees feel heard and respected
- Encourage team-building activities
- Use multiple communication channels
- Provide communication skills and cultural sensitivity training
- Break down silos between departments
- Set clear expectations for open communication
- The Importance of Active Listening and Building Trust: To encourage employees to speak up, it's essential to create a safe space for open communication. Active listening and building trust are the cornerstones of achieving this goal. When employees feel valued, they will be more willing to express their opinions and provide honest feedback.
- To combat the hesitance employees have in voicing their concerns to superiors, company leaders could implement a community policy that encourages safe spaces for conversation, fostering active listening and trust-building.
- In the realm of employee development, vocational training programs could be introduced as part of a comprehensive workplace-wellness and health-and-self development approach, helping employees feel more secure and valuable in their roles.
- Financial rewards or incentives tied to career development and leadership growth within the company could incentivize open communication, as employees feel more confident and reassured about their performance and future prospects.
- By implementing a holistic education-and-self-development strategy, employees would not only improve their technical skills but also cultivate emotional intelligence, making them more comfortable voicing their concerns to superiors and becoming valuable contributors to the business.
