How to Enhance Communication to Engage Employees

It’s fun when a post takes off, right?!?! Recently one of my posts gained more traction than usual and a friend said something that really stuck with me. “It feels good to be heard and taken seriously.” Yes! It feels great to be heard and taken seriously. It’s validating. It reminds us that what we share matters. This got me thinking though, not about LinkedIn engagement, but about our employees. Not everyone is comfortable speaking up, whether in a meeting or even in a one-on-one setting. The quietest person in the room often has some of the most valuable, innovative ideas, but no one benefits if those ideas are kept quiet. On the flip side, some employees do speak up only to feel dismissed or ignored. Overtime, that dismissal silences them, leading to disengagement, frustration and ultimately turnover. As leaders, we have a responsibility to do better. Making employees feel heard isn’t just “nice to have”; it’s a cornerstone of engagement, innovation, and trust. So, how do we create a culture where every voice matters? Here are a few simple ways to start: ✅ Model active listening - Put down your phone, stop multi-tasking, make eye contact, and show you’re fully present. A small act, but it makes a big impact. ✅ Ask open-ended questions - Encourage employees to share their thoughts by asking questions like, “What’s your perspective on this?” or “How would you approach it differently?” ✅ Acknowledge ideas, even the 'silly' ones - Every idea has potential. Sometimes a seemingly off-the-wall suggestion lightens the room and sparks the brainstorming that leads to brilliant solutions. ✅ Follow up: If someone shares an idea or concern, circle back to show them you took it seriously. Even if it’s not feasible, explain why. It will build trust and reinforce that their input matters. When employees feel heard and taken seriously, you create an environment where they feel safe to innovate, engage, and truly invest in the organization’s success. As for my LinkedIn post? It’s just another reminder of the power of being heard, regardless of the workplace or a social platform. When we listen and value each other’s voices, amazing things happen. How do you help your team members feel heard? I’d love to hear your thoughts. And if you’re reading this—thank you for hearing me. ❤️ #fractionalhr #leadership

How do you ensure your team is still with you after a round of unnerving corporate chaos? We were working with Melissa (not her real name), the Vice President of a rapidly growing national firm who called for help because three people had resigned in the past two weeks. And if you’d asked her two weeks before that, she wouldn’t have told you that any of them were flight risks. As she explained the situation, Melissa’s department was in the middle of a major reorganization resulting from changes in the industry. The reorganization would shift an entire team’s work to an external partner (and several team members were moving over to the partner company.) Some roles would merge, and a few people would be reassigned or given exit packages. Melissa told us, “I thought we were doing good with our communication, and that everyone understood. We’ve been working so hard at our day jobs plus preparing for the transition. Then these three resignations—we can’t afford to lose anyone else. We have important work to do after the transition.” ❖ Melissa and her team started the change process with a clear communication plan. The company had retention bonuses in place to help affected team members stay through the finish line, and they clearly defined the process, roles, and timelines. They’d also involved the team in early decision-making. These are all good practices and we recommend them as you navigate chaotic changes. And—there are some additional employee retention strategies you can use to help your team move through these changes with confidence: ❖ Invest in Clarity with Cultivating Checks for Understanding ❖ Communication doesn’t mean you said it (or sent it). Clear communication means everyone has received and internalized critical messages. Would you bet $1000 of your own money that each team member (not just your direct reports) could clearly explain what's happening? If not, check for understanding with frontline team members - to hear them describe the plan in their own words. Then work with your managers on their communication. ❖ Re-Recruit Your "A" Players ❖ Re-recruit your top talent by connecting and communicating how much you value them. Help them see their future opportunities and how you’ll support their growth and development. ❖ Get Their Hands in the Future ❖ When you have team members who will stay on with the team after the change, get them working on that future. If their hands are deep into a project that builds the future, they can feel that future is real—and includes them. And that helps quell the uncertainty. ❖ Maintain Relationships and Lines of Communication ❖ When one-on-ones feel the most difficult to maintain, that’s often when you need them the most. Those regular, individual check ins give you a chance to use all these employee retention strategies in a connected, relevant way. I'd love to hear from you - what would you add? #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #retention cc: Karin Hurt Let's Grow Leaders

Your team is disengaged? Concerned about Quiet Quitting? Team performance is inconsistent or in decline? Your top performers are a flight risk? You experience higher than industry-standard employee turnover? In most scenarios that I have encountered, after working with literally 100s of companies, the answer to these questions is the same. THE LEADERSHIP SUCKS If your team doesn't feel heard or valued they won't communicate with you If they don't feel fulfilled by what they are doing or their personal goals and values aren't in alignment with your company's goals they will not work hard If they are stagnated, and/or have hit the growth ceiling in their role they are not incentivized to stay. Actually, that's too soft, it is actively bad for their careers to stay The good news is that the solution is not difficult: Engage: Engage with your teams so they feel valued and heard by communicating often, asking meaningful questions, and listening to the answers. Express gratitude when a team member shares an idea, feedback, or asks you questions. Fulfillment: During the candidate attraction and interviewing phases take the time to learn about the candidate to make sure that their personal goals and values align with the company and, after they're hired, speak to those goals often, ensuring they stay aligned. Growth: During the candidate attraction and interview phases learn what the candidate is trying to accomplish in their next role and what they are trying to accomplish in their career and incorporate that information into their Employee Reviews, Training, and Career Development plans. Measure their growth and talk about it often. Notice that consistent communication over time is a key component of all 3 areas. That's not an accident! The EFG Leadership Framework is not complicated but it is highly effective and has helped me to build highly effective and consistently exceptional teams both for my own companies and for my clients. Want to learn more about how to build highly effective teams? DM me or comment below! 😎 💪