You may believe your best people would raise their hand when things go sideways. In practice, though, they often don’t. They show up, deliver, adapt, and stay silent.
Until they don’t.
If you listen carefully, what they don’t say can be the loudest signal of all.
Where U.S. Engagement Stands Today
- In 2023, only 33 % of U.S. employees reported being engaged in their work. (Gallup)
- Despite marginal improvements in mid-2024, engagement had already slipped from 34 % to 31 % by year’s end. (Gallup)
- McKinsey estimates disengagement and attrition may cost a median S&P 500 company $228 million to $355 million annually in lost productivity. (McKinsey)
- Turnover is expensive—losing someone can cost a business 0.5 to 2 times their salary, factoring in recruitment, training, downtime, and cultural friction. (PeopleKeep)
These numbers aren’t abstract. They’re warning lights.
The Silent Exit: Common Challenges Your Top Talent Faces
Challenge
What Happens Quietly
Why It Matters
Unseen effort & invisible value
They do more “extra work” than you know. They fix gaps, cover others. Their victories go unnoticed.
They do more “extra work” than you know. They fix gaps, cover others. Their victories go unnoticed.
Stalled growth/blurred path forward
They begin to wonder: “What’s next?” When no clear trajectory emerges, stagnation sets in.
They begin to wonder: “What’s next?” When no clear trajectory emerges, stagnation sets in.
Leadership misalignment or gaps
Their direct manager may not see their aspirations, lack coaching skill, or can’t remove barriers.
Strong direct leadership is one of the most cited reasons employees stay.
Feedback without impact
They provide ideas, complaints, or nuance, but rarely see change. With no visible impact, they stop investing the energy to speak up.
When feedback isn’t followed by action, trust erodes and so does the willingness to speak up.
Solutions Leaders Can Own
Here’s how leaders can begin to hear beyond the words, shift the dynamics, and keep their top performers from slipping away.
1. Ask more precise, energy-oriented questions
- Swap “How’s work?” for “What’s draining you lately?” or “What stops you from doing your best?”
- The more specific the language, the likelier you’ll uncover pressure points.
Here’s how leaders can begin to hear beyond the words, shift the dynamics, and keep their top performers from slipping away.
- Ask more precise, energy-oriented questions
- Swap “How’s work?” for “What’s draining you lately?” or “What stops you from doing your best?”
- The more specific the language, the likelier you’ll uncover pressure points.
- Close the loop visibly
- After gathering feedback, publish a “You said → We did / We will do” list.
- Even small wins matter. They build trust that raising issues isn’t wasted effort.
- Define growth paths transparently
- Lay out what success looks like at each level—skills, behaviors, scope.
- Use formal leadership development (mentoring, stretch assignments, or structured programs like the trueU Leadership Academy) so people see what’s next, not just what’s missing.
- Coach for hidden promise
- Spend time with your top people on aspirations, not just performance.
- Connect them to projects or leaders who expand their perspective—not confine them.
- Design systems that reflect intention
- Embed pulse feedback tied to themes, not just annual surveys.
- Leverage frameworks—like peer-to-peer learning in the trueU Culture Community—to make feedback systemic rather than anecdotal.
- Strengthen HR strategy and infrastructure
- Even the best culture can’t compensate for broken HR systems. Consider support that aligns compliance, employee relations, and strategy—such as trueU HR Operations.
Solid systems reduce friction and create environments where top talent can thrive.
