Difficult conversations: what vital leadership lessons can unhappy employees teach you?

If Gallup’s poll of German employees is to be believed, their engagement at work has sunk to its lowest level in a decade. Their evaluation indicates that nearly a fifth of the German labor pool is actively unengaged, which translates to a financial burden of between 118.1 and 151.1 billion euros in terms of lost productivity on the German economy.

Merely a quarter of Germany's working population expresses extreme satisfaction when it comes to their managers.

This paints a stark portrayal of leadership quality. As has been repeatedly confirmed, the conditions fostering employee engagement are predominantly crafted by individuals in managerial roles.

Reduced engagement levels indicate that German employees exhibit a strong willingness to migrate between employers, a costly practice in a world characterized by a scarcity of skilled professionals.

Even more concerning is the prevalence of a phenomenon known as ‘quiet quitting.’ This involves a subtle withdrawal from the workplace, driven by factors such as low engagement and a poor work-life balance. The evident consequence is a decline in an individual's enthusiasm and dedication, resulting in reduced effort.

What can unhappy employees tell you?

It has been proposed that dissatisfied and disengaged employees can serve as valuable intelligence to create a working environment that is more engaging to everyone. Most leaders may not immediately spot the root causes of dissatisfaction, so the first step is to encourage open conversations to uncover what's really bothering the employees and start working towards a solution.

While some individuals may not be well-suited for a specific role, team, or task and may not be open to re-engagement, leaders can address the situation by having conversations with those whose work quality or performance may be declining. This enables leaders to identify the root cause of the problem, assess its fixability, and determine the most appropriate way to proceed. More importantly, it’ll serve as an alert to wider issues or emerging trends in attitudes and behaviour.

When employees consistently disengage, it's a clear signal for leadership to conduct a thorough cultural assessment, acknowledge issues, and promptly act on the feedback.

When conducting an exit interview with a departing unhappy employee, it's crucial to approach it seriously, being candid and honest. Ensure that the employee feels their frank opinions won't negatively impact future references or recommendations. This step is essential to preserving the employee's dignity and providing valuable insights for the manager.

Quiet firing

The unhappy employee can also point to another destructive phenomena which has been called ‘quiet firing’. This process can uncover various detrimental managerial habits, often unknown to the leaders themselves.

One aspect of 'quiet firing' occurs when managers don't fulfill the coaching, support, and career development expectations of an employee. This leads the employee to feel increasingly undervalued by the organization, diminishing their motivation to uphold their end of the productivity agreement.

Gallup’s survey on 'quiet firing' revealed a surprising statistic: globally, only 37% of managers strongly agreed that they invest in their employees' development, and an even smaller percentage (25%) of employees strongly agreed that their manager invests in their professional growth.

Among workers under the age of thirty-five who are engaged in hybrid and fully remote work arrangements, the trend of those strongly agreeing that someone encourages their professional growth at work is declining. Addressing this neglect can start with a crucial question.

Aspirations, strengths, and development

A leader should ask, ‘Does each employee have an individualized development plan and a career path?’

If the answer is negative, commence by gaining a genuine understanding of an employee's goals and strengths. This provides a solid foundation for a meaningful conversation about their developmental possibilities. What can support the employee at present, and what can sufficiently challenge them to foster genuine career advancement?

says Dung Hoang, Principal at Odgers Berndtson Germany.

Too remote to motivate

In a world of hybrid and remote working, there is another leadership downfall that can lead to unhappy, disengaged employees. It stems from leaders who genuinely care about their team members but are often conspicuously absent, being physically present yet emotionally distant.

Distracted by other priorities or ambitions, a leader who remains too distant may struggle to respond to a question like, "Have you engaged in a meaningful conversation with each of your employees within the past week?" These conversations need not always be formal one-on-one encounters (although those should be scheduled regularly), but they should offer a chance for a substantive exchange.

In Gallup’s research, employees who have at least one meaningful conversation each week with their manager are nearly four times as likely to be engaged at work.

says Christian Bauer, Associate Partner at Odgers Berndtson Germany.  

One of the most useful things that leaders can do is to show appreciation and make that positive recognition known as publicly as possible. A proper recognition programme will make employees feel valued and acknowledged by their leader and their team. It’s a powerful antidote against disengagement, and a clear message about what successful company cultures value most. People and their achievements.

Engaging leaders

What kind of leaders have the potential to drive team and employee engagement? By using our LeaderFit profile model, we can help provide a picture of those who might have the potential to succeed at this. By using a unique leadership assessment methodology that combines personality data, behavioural patterns, and leadership experts’ judgement, we can paint a picture of individual performance in targeted senior roles.

Any questions?

To discuss your organization’s current leadership ambitions, or if you want to explore your individual career path, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’ll be keen to hear from you.