10 Things Your Employees Won’t Tell You

Even if you think you are the best boss in the world, your employees may have a few ideas filed away under “room for improvement”.  Here are 10 things your employees won’t tell you:

1. Your employee won’t tell you that your meetings run too long and most are a waste of time. He or she ends up running late to client meetings because the employer loves to hear himself or herself talk. An employee (especially a new employee) doesn’t want to rock the boat and would rather look good to the boss, even if it means hurting a client relationship.

2. Your employee won’t tell you that she resents that you are never on time to a meeting. You expect your employees to be on time, yet you are perpetually late and offer no apology when you arrive.

3. Your employee won’t tell you that he would rather eat lunch alone, than grab a burger with you. It’s not always a treat to eat with the boss, even when he or she takes you to an expensive restaurant and covers the cost of your meal.

4. Your employee won’t tell you that she doesn’t like your friends. Your friends are often rude, or superficial, and your employee wonders what the connection is between you and your loud mouth BFF.

5. Your employee won’t tell you that she really doesn’t want to hear about your personal issues. Sharing private information with an employee is blurring professional boundaries. Your employee will tell you it’s okay for you to vent, but really they are extremely uncomfortable and wish you would find someone else to share your marital woes with.

6. Your employee won’t tell you when you have bad breath or other embarrassing details. It would be easier to tell a colleague his zipper is down than to tell the boss the same thing. They won’t enjoy you looking like a fool in front of a large audience, but probably won’t tell you that you have a stain in the armpit of your dress shirt.

7. Your employee won’t tell you that your jokes aren’t funny. Your jokes are grueling, but your employee will endure it if it helps protect his or her job. It’s difficult to respect a boss that seems needy for attention.

8. Your employee won’t tell you that she thinks you are cheap. Your employee worked through the night for 3 long months and when the project was over you gave her a 25.00 gift certificate to a mid-range restaurant. Your employee will profusely thank you for the kind gesture, but secretly wish you would have gifted a 100.00 bonus instead.

9. Your employee won’t tell you that he thinks your kids are unruly. Your employee is attempting to conduct business in a professional environment and your kids are making it difficult by running up and down the corridor, screaming at the top of their lungs. He may smile and tell you that your children are “precious,” but really wishes you would keep your kids out of the office!

10. Your employee won’t tell you that she really wants to go home after work. You may think you are giving the office a bonus by organizing a weekly bowling league, but the reality is that your employee works late most nights of the week and one more thing to do on a weeknight that takes from family time isn’t a welcome idea.