Don't Turn a Deaf Ear: The subtle and not-so-subtle cost of failing to listen to your work tribe

I don’t know about you, but for many in my personal and professional tribes, the world seems a bit chaotic right now. Perhaps it's an age thing. The older you get, the more aware you are of the pressures - political, environmental, organizational, geographical, generational, or health-related - life seems like a powder keg on the edge of exploding. 

Every day, people walk through the doors of their organizations feeling the pressure of these unavoidable world & life dynamics. Add the hectic pace and pressures of daily work, and it’s easy to skip the time to listen. Many leaders I speak to express frustrations that despite valuing their team, they struggle to find the time to connect due to competing demands on their time.

The sad news is there’s no silver bullet that solves it all.  The harsh reality is that there will never be enough time in your day. As soon as you check one thing off your to-do list, there will probably be twenty more things to add to and hundreds of conversations and ideas that you’ll never have time for. When I work with leaders one on one and in my coaching and programs, we spend a lot of time talking about the trade-offs if they fail to make time to listen. Here are just a few reasons why listening to each other matters:

5 costs of failing to listen

1. Decreased Employee Engagement.  According to the Gallup Organization 2022 State of the Global Workplace report, only 21% of employees are engaged at work. If employees don't feel like their voices are being heard, it can take a toll on their engagement, productivity, and motivation. One of the main factors contributing to this is often a lack of feedback and recognition.  
2. Decreased Retention: Employees who feel ignored or undervalued are more likely to leave their job. According to a study by Glassdoor, employees who experience poor communication and feedback from their managers are 15.5% more likely to look for a new job within the next six months. In addition, there are numerous studies that have examined the cost of replacing talented employees. The loss can range from tens of thousands to twice the employee's salary, depending on role and level of seniority. 
3. Decreased Productivity: Employees who feel ignored may become less productive and less likely to contribute to organizational success. A big topic that is still an ongoing debate is remote or work-from-anywhere policies. According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, as organizations debate return-to-work policies, managers, and employees disagree on productivity. The article found that employees include commuting time in their mental calculations, and managers tend to ignore commuting time when they think about productivity. This is just one of many areas that could lead to decreased productivity or even loss of talent. 
4. Missed Opportunities for Improvement: Ignoring employee feedback means missing out on valuable insights that could help improve organizational processes and outcomes. Making a deliberate effort to listen to a variety of perspectives at all levels of the organization can be hugely beneficial for both your organization and your own leadership skills. 
5. Negative Organizational Culture: I believe that culture is the thing that tells you what to do when no one tells you what to do. When leaders don’t communicate and listen, employees are left to assume and we know assuming is never productive! A study by Harvard Business Review found that companies with a positive culture outperform their peers by 20% in terms of revenue growth and 28% in terms of earnings growth. 

Listening is the Work 

So what do we do? We don’t have time, but we know listening matters. What if leaders and employees alike recategorized listening as work? What if we stopped thinking, “I don’t have time to meet, or I need to finish this meeting so I can get back to work,” to “This meeting is a critical part of my work that will enable us to be more productive and go faster.”  This small shift in thinking can change everything. I have learned that forcing myself to set time aside to connect with people so they feel heard and included is the best gift I can give to myself in my life and leadership. It’s going slow to go fast and it has benefits. When employees feel heard, they are happier, healthier, and more productive. They work more effectively from any location, and they want to be a part of the team.  So yes, we need to get the work done. Today consider that your next best step might just be to set aside some time and listen. 

Meet The Author

Leah JM Dean is a leadership strategist, tribe formation expert, certified strengths coach, best-selling author, facilitator, speaker, and founder of the women's leadership program, the Tribe Advantage. She is on a mission to help women and organizations all across the globe transform their tribes in life and leadership. To learn more about Leah's work, her best-selling book Assemble the Tribe, or join The Tribe Advantage Leadership Program, visit www.leahjmdean.com. Leah lives in Bermuda with her husband and two children.