Nearly half of workers — 46% — say their boss only somewhat or rarely understands what they contribute, according to a June 10 report from The Predictive Index, an HR platform.
This disconnect between workers and leaders could be more damaging than burnout, the report found.
“We’ve long focused on workload-related burnout, but our research reveals a more fundamental issue at play,” said Matt Poepsel, vice president and godfather of talent optimization at The Predictive Index. “When employees don’t feel accurately seen or understood, it creates a perception gap that directly impacts retention, performance and innovation.”
In a survey of 1,000 U.S. workers, 44% said they were overlooked for raises, promotions or projects due to misperceptions about their skills or work style. In addition, 48% said they feel their contributions are consistently undervalued by leaders.
Beyond that, 43% said they receive feedback from managers that feels misaligned with how they see themselves, which increases to 54% among Generation Z employees. About 62% of Gen Z employees said they’re overlooked for opportunities due to misperceptions.
To close the perception gap, 44% of employees said better leadership training for managers could improve workplace understanding. In addition, 45% said they want more frequent and meaningful feedback. Among Gen Z workers, 80% said they think behavioral assessments could help them and their teams better understand their strengths and work styles.
“Traditional leadership approaches are failing to recognize the diverse behavioral drives and work styles that make teams successful,” Poepsel said. “Behavioral data provides the objective insights managers need to truly see, understand and develop their people, including those whose strengths may not always be immediately recognized.”
Employers may overlook the value of disagreeable workers, which could be detrimental, Adam Grant said during the Workhuman Live 2025 conference. These workers may provide the feedback that organizations need to hear, he said.
Trust and “human sustainability” remain key to boosting performance, according to a Deloitte report. Organizations should put humans back at the center of work, a firm leader said, by identifying better ways to measure worker performance and making more information transparent to workers.
Employers can learn more about employee appreciation through Taylor Swift’s example and find new ways to award employees, an employee experience expert told HR Dive. Recognizing workers can boost employee appreciation, retention and culture binding, she said.
