8 questions every leader should ask when employee morale slips

1. What frustrations are slowing my team down — and what am I doing to remove them?

The clearest way to show employees that you care, says Mark Royal, senior client partner at Korn Ferry Advisory, is to tackle the obstacles that make their jobs unnecessarily difficult. "Show people you care by removing what's most frustrating to them," he said.

For many teams, that frustration comes from an overwhelming workload. If you can't reduce the amount of work itself, Royal advises prioritizing clarity and protection. "When they've got 12 things to do, they need to know which are the four critical ones," he said. "The rest you delegate, postpone, or take off the table."

Leaders should also identify what's creating day-to-day friction. "Clunky approval processes, shifting priorities, and excessive meetings grind people down," said Travis Grosser, associate professor of management at the University of Connecticut. "Stay attuned to what's getting in the way and identify where you can intervene."

2. What decisions am I holding onto that my team could be making?

Even well-intentioned leaders can create bottlenecks without realizing it. When every choice requires leadership approval, progress stalls — and morale suffers.

Royal encourages managers to be explicit about where authority begins and ends. "These are calls I encourage you to make, need you to make, and expect you to make," he said. Letting go of control gives people room to operate confidently.

At the same time, Grosser suggests involving employees in decision-making wherever possible. Ask for their feedback on fixing broken processes and get their ideas for making their jobs easier, he said. "Even if you can't incorporate their suggestions, asking for input signals that you value what they have to say. If you go a different direction, explain why."

3. Where can I give them more flexibility and autonomy?

Rigid schedules and one-size-fits-all rules often erode morale faster than leaders expect. "Giving people autonomy is a high-impact, low-cost way to improve how they feel about work," Knight writes.

Whenever possible, Grosser advises letting people control when and where they work. "As much as you can, let people work from home if they want to," he said. "Give them control over when they start their day, and trust them to manage their schedules."

Royal agrees that flexibility is powerful, but context matters. "If you're scanning the workforce for the factors creating misery, the answers will be different for different segments," he said. "What matters to operational workers differs from what matters to corporate staff. Parents with young families have different needs than people nearing retirement."

4. How can I create opportunities for genuine connection?

Loneliness at work has become a hidden epidemic. According to Grosser, relationships are one of the biggest drivers of job satisfaction. Conversely, "a strained relationship with a boss can make work feel awful," Knight writes.

Leaders can help by carving out time for real conversation. Regular one-on-ones should go beyond status updates to explore employees' goals, challenges, and lives outside of deadlines.

Grosser also recommends fostering team-level connections through group projects or community initiatives. "Team-building activities can sometimes seem like mandatory fun," he said, "but people do want to know the colleagues they're working alongside."

6. How am I helping them feel valued and see meaning in their work?

Recognition and purpose can be powerful antidotes to burnout. "It's hard to feel miserable when you feel valued," Grosser said. Show appreciation whenever the moment presents itself, he advised.

Royal adds that meaning often comes from context — connecting effort to impact. "When people can see that connection, their work feels more meaningful," Grosser said. As Royal puts it, "[p]eople need to know they're more than just a pair of hands showing up to do a job."

7. Where could I be doing more to help them advance?

Career stagnation has become a quiet source of discontent, especially in a tight economy. "[P]eople feel like they're getting left behind," Grosser said.

According to Royal, even when budgets limit promotions, development shouldn't stop. "Look for low-cost or no-cost development opportunities: mentoring relationships, stretch assignments, and job shadowing," Knight writes.

For smaller companies, transparency is key. "We can't promote you endlessly, but you can wear a lot of hats and be close to the action — and that will help you whether you stay here or go elsewhere," Royal said.

For employees in larger organizations, preparation matters just as much. "[L]et's look at the steps and development experiences that will help you get ready," Royal said. "When the opportunity comes, you'll be ready." 

8. When was the last time I checked if pay is competitive?

Finally, Knight notes that no discussion about discontent is complete without addressing compensation.

Royal acknowledges that employees are being asked to do more with less, but even without full control over pay, transparency helps. "Talk openly with employees about how compensation decisions are made—the factors that determine pay, how performance and merit are weighed, and what it takes to advance," Knight writes.

While it may not change the numbers, "it helps employees see the logic and fairness behind decisions," Royal said. He also suggests ensuring workers understand the full value of their benefits and give candid feedback about people's readiness for promotion. That clarity, Royal notes, helps employees know where they stand.

While leaders can't solve every organizational problem, consistency and empathy go a long way.

"Stay attuned to your team members' frustrations, ask for their input on decisions that affect their work, and pay attention to their career progress and well-being," Knight writes. "Small, consistent actions matter more than grand gestures."