The Top 10 Things Every Employee Wants from Their Leader

As the year comes to a close, it’s the perfect time for leaders to reflect on the impact they’ve had—and the opportunities they have to do even better in the year ahead. So, what do employees really want from their managers? Big picture, it’s less BS and more humanity.

The challenges employees face today—both in and out of the workplace—are undeniable. Add to that the unique pressures of year-end deadlines and the holiday season, and it’s clear why leaders have a critical role to play in creating a supportive and meaningful work environment.

Help Employees Start the Year Strong

As we look toward a new year, leaders have an opportunity to set the tone and make work better for their teams. The best part? Meeting employees’ most pressing needs doesn’t cost a thing.

Drawing from our research and decades of experience, here’s a list of the most common employee wishes—especially those that often go unmet. Consider it your roadmap to stronger connections and a more engaged team in the year ahead:

1. Recognize and show appreciation: Say “thank you” for a job well done. Reinforce the specific behaviors you want to continue to see. Share recognition in front of peers for great work, unless you know the employee dislikes the spotlight. At a communication training recently, a woman asked whether she needed to reward and recognize someone on her team for “just doing their job.” My answer: Absolutely, jobs don’t inspire and motivate people; leaders do.
2. Empathize with them: Pause and imagine how they’re feeling. Better yet, ask. Show you hear them, and validate their feelings. The payoff is an employee who knows you care – and is more likely to stick with you and the organization when other opportunities come knocking.
3. Prioritize employee well-being: Get to know your employees as people and be mindful of their well-being and stress levels outside of work. More than 75% of employees and 63% of managers report feeling burned out or ambivalent in their current position, according to recent research we conducted with The Harris Poll. Yet managers aren’t recognizing just how overwhelmed their employees feel, with 89% saying their employees are thriving compared to the actual thriving figure of 24% – a more than 3-to-1 discrepancy. Make sure you’re addressing this challenge by checking in and respecting employees’ needs. In doing so, you’ll reduce burnout while helping them thrive both in and out of the workplace.
4. Be human: A key lesson from over the last few years is the need to lead with heart. First. Heart First is about championing empathy, humanity, and authenticity to build more authentic, trusting relationships. We’re all human, and anyone, no matter their position, faces challenges in their work and personal lives. No one has all the answers, but we can work through things together. Employees truly want you to let your humanity show.
5. Less fluff and more transparency: Enough beating around the bush, or worse yet, “spinning” of messages. Employees want to know what’s happening and why in a direct way. Tell them what you know when you know it. Chances are you’re currently waiting too long after getting key information or waiting until you have the complete picture to communicate.
6. More listening to them: Listen and ask for input and feedback. In other words, stop the monologues. Employees want to feel heard, and they are more likely to support things they help create. Make sure you’re having real, two-way conversations with your team members.
7. Give them flexibility: If there is one thing that has emerged near the top of many employees’ wish lists in recent years, it’s a need for flexibility. Employees want to be trusted to do their job well while also making time for family and personal needs. Whether that means working from home some of the time, adjusting their schedule to accommodate childcare needs, or taking an hour out of the week for a doctor’s appointment, you’ll be well served to extend trust and flexibility where possible. Employees will feel more engaged, happier, and more motivated to do their best work if their needs outside of work are also met.
8. Take action on employee suggestions: The action might be to loop back with the employee to share appreciation for their thoughts and help them understand why you are or are not implementing their suggestion. The action is closing the feedback loop, which can be as worthwhile as implementing an employee’s suggestion. Either way, you’re saying that their ideas and perspectives are valuable. This will motivate them to share their suggestions in the future.
9. Thoughtful, timely feedback: Offering timely, candid feedback goes a long way. This includes celebrating and reinforcing good behaviors as well as providing specific, constructive guidance on areas for improvement. Why wait until an end-of-year milestone to share feedback if they’d benefit from adjustments along the way? Employees who receive purposeful and thoughtful feedback feel more supported and confident in their work.
10. Clarify your expectations: People rise to the expectations set for them. Many problems in business are caused by a lack of understanding of expectations or a misunderstanding of what’s needed. Have you developed and clearly articulated your expectations? Do your employees know what they can expect from you in return?

So that’s my short list. Best of all, everything on the wish list can make a clear difference for employees and overall engagement.

Which of these skills, if focused on, would have the greatest impact with your team?

—David Grossman

Get must-have insights on how to help promote the well-being of your employees and drive engagement. Download this quick guide, 11 Tips for Manager Conversations on Employee Well-Being, today. 

About David Grossman:

I’m Founder and CEO of The Grossman Group, an award-winning Chicago-based communications consultancy focusing on organizational consulting, strategic leadership development, and internal communications.

For more than 30 years, I've counseled leaders on the importance of effective leadership communication to drive employee engagement and business results and served as a thoughtpartner™ to top organizations including Abbott Laboratories, Amazon, Grubhub, Hillrom (now part of Baxter), Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, McDonald’s, Microsoft, and Stanley Black & Decker, among others.