The Question Behind the Closed Door

The meeting ends. Nobody raises a concern. Everyone agrees with the plan. We have all been in these meetings.

Later, a deadline slips, a frustrated employee resigns, or a problem surfaces that several people already knew about.

For a manager, the question is uncomfortable: “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

That leads to a deeper question which managers are searching online for an answer to: “How do I get my team to trust me and tell me what’s really going on?”

The answer begins with what employees experience when they take the risk of being honest.

What Canadian Research Tells Us

Gallup’s 2026 report places Canadian employee engagement at just 21%, based on a three-year rolling average ending in 2025. Engagement measures involvement and enthusiasm for work, so attendance and completed assignments tell only part of the story.

Mental Health Research Canada’s June 2025 survey of 5,008 employed adults found that 52% had experienced mental health challenges affecting their work, while only 33% disclosed challenges to their employer. Disclosure is a personal choice, but these findings illustrate how much can remain unseen.

Managers cannot assume that silence means everything is working.

Open the Doors and Ask Questions That Make Honesty Easier

“How’s everything going?” makes “Fine” an easy answer.

Try something more specific: “What is making your work harder than it needs to be?” Or, “What concern about this project have we not discussed?”

Ask privately as well as in meetings. Give people time to think, and offer a written way to contribute. Employees differ in how comfortably they speak in front of others.

Keep questions focused on work and support. Nobody should have to reveal personal information to prove they need help.

Make Your First Response Count

When someone raises a concern, pause before explaining or defending the situation.

Thank them for bringing it forward. Ask what they have observed, listen without interruption, and check that you understand. This has to be a sincere effort for understanding as robotic “canned” inquiry can backfire and erode trust.

A response such as “I can see why you raised that. Tell me more” creates room for a useful conversation.

You can still challenge assumptions and maintain standards. The goal is to make respectful disagreement possible without humiliation or retaliation. Again, be genuine.

Show What Happened Next

Listening needs a visible follow-up.

If an employee identifies a problem, explain what you will investigate and when you will respond. Then keep that commitment.

Sometimes the answer will be that a requested change cannot happen. Explain the reason and explore what can be improved.

When employees repeatedly share concerns and hear nothing back, they have little reason to keep contributing.

Recognize the People Who Speak Up

Thank the employee who flags a risk early, questions an unclear instruction, or suggests a better approach.

Be specific about the contribution: “You helped us catch that before it affected the customer.”

Ask before recognizing a sensitive concern publicly. Protecting someone’s confidence matters more than creating a visible recognition moment.

Thoughtful appreciation helps show that speaking up is a contribution the organization values.

Give Managers the Same Support

Senior leaders should ask themselves whether their managers can safely bring them difficult news.

A manager who fears admitting an unrealistic workload may struggle to respond openly when an employee raises the same concern.

Give managers clear priorities, practical support, and permission to say when something is not working.

Start Building Trust Before the Next Problem

Trust develops through repeated experiences of being heard, respected, and taken seriously.

Pat Doyle helps organizations create employee experiences and recognition initiatives that reinforce connection and appreciation.

Contact Pat to explore meaningful ways to help your people feel valued and strengthen the everyday relationships behind a healthier workplace.

Sources

Gallup: State of the Global Workplace, Canada Country-Level Data, 2026

Mental Health Research Canada: Mental Health in the Workplace 2025