In the more than 20 years that I’ve spoken at companies and conferences about staying positive and working together better, I have received feedback from hundreds of employees. They have shared what regularly frustrates them.  Often the things that annoy employees the most fall into four categories:

1. Lack of accountability
2. Lack of appreciation
3. Lack of direction
4. Lack of belonging

Let’s look at what employees had to say about each of these common frustrations.

1. Lack of Accountability

This is the number one complaint I hear from employees at companies large and small. As one person put it, “People are getting away with stuff, and no one is doing anything about it!” Alternatively, another person said, “Why should I work so hard when everyone else is slacking off?” If employees don’t feel like every person in the organization is being held to the same standards, they will not feel motivated to do great work.

2. Lack of Appreciation

I’ve found that many employees feel taken for granted and unappreciated. In recent years, many of these people have grown weary of hearing the comment “at least you have a job!” One woman told me that she had been working for the same company for 15 years and couldn’t remember the last time she had been told “good job” or “thank you.” She said that although she complied with the boss’ requests, she did just enough to keep her job.

3. Lack of Direction

Many employees say that they toil away day after day in their cubicle, often unaware of how their tasks fit into the organization’s bigger picture. They want to know that what they are doing has a purpose and makes a difference. When employees don’t have a clear direction and don’t feel part of the vision of the company, they can quickly become disenchanted and disenfranchised.

4. Lack of Belonging

We’ve all heard the expression, “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Employees want to feel that they are part of a team that cares about them as a person. Most people will go out of their way to support someone they care for, but may not do the same for someone they perceive as distant and uncaring.

What things annoy your employees?

So, how do you know which, if any of these, are annoying your employees? Try asking for more information from your team. Ask employees for their opinions and be open to listening to what they have to say. Once you know what annoys your employees, you can figure out how to address common issues.