For better or worse, 2023 may be remembered as the year when “quiet” permeated the workplace. Terms like “quiet quitting,” “quiet hiring,” “quiet promoting,” and even “quiet firing” gained attention as employers and employees emerged from the unprecedented disruption of the pandemic.
All of these “quiet” trends are problematic. In all its forms, quietness erodes trust. And without trust, employee morale suffers and engagement declines. Workers today are eager and ready for open, honest, and transparent dialog. They long to be a meaningful part of their workplace community and know where they stand, both among their peers and with leadership.
Feeling psychologically safe at work greatly impacts employees’ willingness to be an active member of their workplace community. A Glassdoor poll of 1,000 currently employed U.S. knowledge workers ages 22 to 64 revealed that less than half feel psychologically “very safe” at work, which means that teams are missing out on open, honest conversations about their ideas, concerns, questions, and mistakes.
The workplace has changed and companies that stay quiet and operate in the shadows will struggle in this new world. Here are a few ways employers can help create an environment where all employees feel safe to provide feedback and have their voices heard.
Acknowledge generational differences
Our research found that two out of three millennials and Gen Zers say feeling psychologically safe at work greatly enhances their ability to show up as their authentic selves and bring forward issues more freely in the workplace. However, one in four employees report feeling alone at work. Unfortunately, many Gen Z workers feel disconnected, in part because they don’t always feel comfortable voicing concerns at work. This newer generation of workers are also twice as trusting of anonymous feedback channels to discuss work when compared to Gen X and baby boomers.
Lean into anonymity
Anonymity has long been a tool to help foster greater transparency, and in the new world of work, it is helping to democratize even more voices through new channels. According to a Glassdoor survey conducted by The Harris Poll, more than two thirds (68%) of U.S. employees would like a way to ask their coworkers and company leaders questions anonymously at work. Companies typically use bi-annual surveys to get a pulse on employee sentiment. But there’s incredible value in having access to real-time feedback every day. Think of it like a virtual water cooler—it’s real conversations about everything work life-related from workplace decisions to world events to cultural moments and more. By encouraging and engaging in anonymous or semi-anonymous communities, employers can learn firsthand about employee’s needs and actively work to create a better workplace.
Get comfortable with criticism
Transparency can be complicated to navigate, and with consistent real-time feedback comes increased criticism. It is important to remember that sometimes the process of transparent dialog is more important than the outcome. Employees will find ways to have these conversations regardless, so giving them a place to safely voice their concerns in a way that makes them feel seen and heard will ultimately generate a more collaborative environment where discussions happen out loud—not quietly.
Glassdoor recently launched new community-centric features and has seen more than 95% of our own employees participate in our Glassdoor Company Bowl where they start and engage in conversations with varying levels of anonymity. This experience has been extremely impactful and it’s also been tough at times. As we begin the New Year, things are anything but quiet in our own workplace community, and that’s exactly how it should be.
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