To reduce turnover, managers and employees need to communicate effectively. Nancy*, a hardworking legal secretary, is considering quitting after five years. Why? Because she feels overworked and underpaid compared to the firm's other legal secretaries. She claims her colleagues make frequent personal telephone calls, use computers for non-work-related purposes and take lengthy lunches—and receive overtime pay. Meanwhile, she often works through lunch and is not paid overtime.



Her boss knows nothing of Nancy's concerns. She has an unfounded, but common, fear of speaking to him about her pay and her perceived inequities. Worse, her boss has never asked her about her job satisfaction, and to replace her would cost thousands of dollars and require months of training. Without establishing regular, safe opportunities for dialogue, he may lose Nancy.

Nancy's situation typifies the poor communication between many managers and employees. Managers often do not perceive poor morale and distrust among their staff. Randstad, a global recruiting firm, in a recent survey of over 3200 employees, found that worker morale is dropping and that 59 percent of workers say they are loyal to their company, while only 26 percent of workers believe their company is loyal to them. Meanwhile, the survey showed, employers have a rosier view: They believe that 74 percent of workers are loyal to their company, and 43 percent say their company is loyal to its employees.

Managers and their employees are not talking enough. Too often, managers ignore small problems until a key employee leaves, or the problems blow up into a major crisis—like a dispute between employees that threatens a project and disrupts the office's harmony. With proper coaching, most managers can avert staffing crises by learning how to have effective conversations with employees that lead to a cooperative and happy workplace.

Many workers, like Nancy, rightly or wrongly, fear that their boss will take retribution if they complain about unequal treatment or their pay. This can be paralyzing for some: The fear of communication is comparable to the fear of flying. Likewise, some managers may be afraid to hear what their employees think about work. These managers may talk harshly to their employees, closing off honest dialogue. Or they may avoid conversations because they assume that their staff is content, until some crisis forces a conversation.

A brief example: A few years ago, I worked with a $400 million firm whose chief operating officer intimidated his staff. They were so afraid to mention problems to him that he was blind to key issues. And his staff was on the verge of a mutiny. With my help, the COO instituted a weekly meeting with nine senior managers. The goal of the meeting was to improve communication between him and his staff. Initially, the senior managers strongly resisted talking because they feared being fired. It takes a long time to build trust, and four of the senior managers left in the process. But after a year, the COO said, “I understand that cooperation is a two-way street. My new behavior has had a significant impact on how the managers are relating to me now. I have resolved their fear of bothering me when they have a problem.”

Managers and their employees need to find a safe way to talk before a major problem asserts itself. With proper guidance, they can learn to talk together without fear of repercussions or criticism. Motivation and success can ensue when both managers and employees sense—and prove—that they can trust each other. Trust comes from constant conversations and the hard work of building an effective, open relationship.

Managers, like parents who want their children to talk openly with them, need to take the first step and tell employees that it's safe to talk to them—and repeat it. Professional coaching can help many managers who find this difficult. It can also benefit employees like Nancy by showing her how to raise her concerns and her self-esteem, so that she can approach her boss with confidence and honesty. Frequent, open dialogue will improve employee morale and decrease turnover, saving the company time and money.

*Name changed to protect privacy