Picture this.

You’ve just rolled out a new “employee engagement initiative.” Leadership is proud. HR has checked the box. But your employees? They’re rolling their eyes. Why? Because the decision was made for them and not with them.

This is one of the biggest blind spots plaguing today’s workplaces. According to theNational Workplace Trends Study, 53% of in-person employees don’t believe upper management understands what the culture is really like for most employees. That’s not a minor disconnect; it’s huge! And it’s costing companies talent, engagement, and trust.

So here’s the million-dollar question: When was the last time you actually asked your people what they need?

The Cost of Assumptions in Leadership

Leaders often fall into the trap of assuming they know what employees want. But assumptions are expensive. For example:

• 42% of Gen Z employees cite burnout, lack of trust in leaders, or the feeling that their voices don’t matter as the top reasons they plan to leave their company.
  
  
• 29% of workers say they wouldn’t even recommend their workplace to others. That’s like your best customer saying they wouldn’t refer a friend.
  
  
• 57% of employees report losing trust in leaders when fairness and transparency are lacking.

These aren’t just statistics; they’re red flags waving at organizations to stop ignoring employee feedback.

Imagine running a restaurant without ever asking customers if the food is good. You wouldn’t survive a year. Yet many companies operate this way with employees…the very people serving their customers.

A Story of “Almost Getting It Right”

I once worked with a company that invested heavily in building a “fun” culture. They built game rooms, hired food trucks, and even offered nap pods. Sounds great, right?

Except their employees weren’t asking for perks. They were asking for fair pay raises, clarity in career paths, and leaders who gave them honest feedback and mentorship. Engagement tanked, and turnover spiked.

Here’s the lesson: culture isn’t about guessing…it’s about listening.

Asking isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a leadership superpower. It says, “I value you enough to include you in the decisions that affect your work and life.”

And when employees feel heard, engagement skyrockets, loyalty strengthens, and suddenly you’re not just a workplace, you’re a Destination Workplace™.

5 Insightful Ways to Ask Your People What They Need

• Conduct a Culture Audit
  Use surveys like the Destination Workplace culture audit and employee experience survey, focus groups, and even one-on-one conversations to uncover what employees really value.
  
  
• Host “Ask Me Anything” Sessions
  Create regular forums where employees can anonymously or openly ask leadership tough questions.
  
  
• Involve Employees in Solutions
  Instead of rolling out top-down initiatives, invite employees to co-create new programs and policies.
  
  
• Close the Feedback Loop
  Don’t just collect input, act on it. One of the most powerful parts of our Culture Strategy Sessions is assigning accountability and benchmarks to each initiative to ensure success. Then communicate back to employees what changes were made because of their feedback.
  
  
• Train Leaders to Listen
  Active listening isn’t natural for everyone. Train managers with coaching methods on how to ask better questions and truly hear what employees are saying as part of their leadership training.

Final Thought: The Power of Simply Asking

Engagement isn’t complicated. Employees don’t expect perfection. But they do expect to be heard. The companies that win the war for talent aren’t the ones guessing what employees want. They’re the ones asking, and then acting.

So, I’ll ask you again. When was the last time you asked your people what they need? If you can’t remember, now is the best time to start.

If you’re ready to move past assumptions and build a culture employees actually want to be part of, explore the fullNational Workplace Trends Study or connect with Betsy Allen-Manning and the Destination Workplace™ team atDestinationWorkplace.com.

>>> Featured on FOX, CBS, NBC, and ABC, Betsy Allen-Manning is a leadership keynote speaker and high-performance expert who works with executives, managers, and teams to ignite commitment, elevate excellence & infuse purpose into their culture. Her C.O.M.M.I.T. Framework™ and ‘DNA for Success’ keynote series deliver data-backed, high-energy presentations that strengthen leadership, enhance team performance, and build resilient cultures where people thrive and stay. Betsy is also the founder of Destination Workplace™, an award-winning leadership training company in Dallas, recognized for advancing leadership excellence and driving a culture of high performance in some of the world’s most respected organizations.