March 6, 2025
Listening to Learn at Work: Research and Practical Application
Introduction
Listening is a key workplace skill that shapes how employees connect with their leaders, build trust in the organization, and stay motivated on the job. At Krause Bell Group, we have also found that listening by leaders is an essential building block for the culture and learning required if we are going to eliminate SIFs from our operations.
Unfortunately, even when we think we are listening, employees don’t always feel heard. Research shows that employees judge being heard on how well their needs and expectations are met, which explains why perceptions of listening can vary so much. A recent study of leadership behaviors before, during, and after conversations identified factors that contribute to feeling heard or unheard at work.[1]
Key Findings
The study, conducted with 41 bank employees, found that attentive listening during conversations is necessary but insufficient to ensure employees feel heard. Employees feel heard when their expectations are met, whether stated or unstated, and employees feel unheard when leaders are distracted, dismissive, or fail to follow through with action.
Paths to Feeling Heard
The research identified three main pathways to feeling heard: (1) conversational growth, where discussions alone meet the speaker’s needs, (2) feeling heard through action, where follow-up actions solidify the interaction’s impact, and (3) tentative listening, where trust in future actions provides initial reassurance. Employees appreciated when their input led to meaningful changes, improved tools, or personal career growth.
Practical Tips
The following table lists several behaviors that increase employees’ perceptions of being heard, as well as some that take away from their sense of being heard. Observe your own behavior for a day and see how often you find yourself engaging in them. If you want to strengthen the sense that people feel heard and understood by you, it may be a matter of increasing “Behaviors with Positive Impact”, or decreasing “Behaviors with Negative Impact”.
| Behaviors with Positive Impact | Behaviors with Negative Impact |
| Acknowledging a person | Ignoring |
| Ease of access | Frequent rescheduling of meetings |
| Eye contact | Looking away, or camera off |
| Undivided attention | Interacting with devices, people |
| Asking questions with intention to understand | Asking questions from your own agenda |
| Checking for understanding | Allowing Interruptions |
| Open body language | Interrupting |
| Pausing before speaking | Finishing sentences |
| Validating experience, emotions | Rejecting experience, emotions |
| Timely, relevant, and visible action | Late, dismissive, or invisible action |
| Follow-up information | Silence |
Conclusion
Great leaders make their team members feel valued, respected, and heard. By being present, asking thoughtful questions, following through with action, and committing to continuous improvement, you’ll not only enhance your listening skills but also build a more engaged and motivated team. Start small, implement these practices consistently, and watch as your leadership impact grows.
[1] Kriz, T. D., Kluger, A. N., & Lyddy, C. J. (2021). Feeling heard: Experiences of listening (or not) at work. Frontiers in Psychology, 12.
