Gallup’s 2024 Employee Engagement Survey reveals the lowest workforce engagement in 10 years.

Since 2000, the annual survey has measured 12 elements of employee engagement such as clarity of expectations, the feeling that someone cares about them at work and having someone at work who encourages their development — each of these showed significant declines last year.

This trend presents a unique challenge for learning and development (L&D) professionals: How does one address the gap between skills that are necessary for business success when employee engagement is at an all-time low?

Boosting soft skills in two key areas of communication, active listening and feedback, could help learning leaders turn a disengaged workforce into one that takes an active role in continuous improvement — ultimately leading to better performance and increased retention.

Let’s take a look at some common symptoms of communication conflict and the ways active listening and feedback can ease the pain.

What Causes Communication Conflict?

In some cases, workplace conflict can actually be healthy. Unhealthy workplace conflict, on the other hand, usually stems from a lack of communication, and for that, there may be several contributing factors:

• Generational differences: A recent survey from ResumeBuilder.com revealed that 74% of managers found Gen Z employees challenging to work with, compared to earlier generations. In some ways, this is natural; as newer generations enter the workforce, there is a gap between generational ideals and approaches to work. When that happens, those in leadership roles, who are typically from earlier generations, find younger generations more difficult to work with. They may not understand their approach, and clear communication is not occurring.
• Difference in personality type. The popular Myers-Briggs assessment outlines 16 different personality types — each with their own unique communication and conflict resolution styles.
• Difference in leadership style. When there is a disconnect between how a leader approaches their team and the team members’ expectations, conflict can occur. For example, a team member who values trust and a hand in decision-making within the team with a leader whose style is making all decisions without any input.
• Differences in communication preference. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to effective communication. Understanding common communication preferences can help you collaborate with and support others on your team.
• Fear of feedback (also widely known as “constructive criticism”) and an individual’s fear of others’ perception of them may result in a communication shut down.

Generally speaking, unhealthy workplace conflict results from a lack of understanding. Overcoming these challenges is possible, but not always prioritized in today’s “pace over perfection” work environment.

That’s why active listening and effective feedback are so important to help mitigate any potential unhealthy workplace conflict.

What is Active Listening?

Active listening is not only hearing — but also understanding — what is being said by another person. In work environments where active listening is practiced, employees can feel engaged, empowered, and more willing to stay with their employer. In fact, a Salesforce found that employees who feel heard at work are 4.6 times more likely to perform their best.

There are three components of active listening:

1. Listening. This may seem simple, but there is a difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is just that: merely hearing what is being said. Listening is not only hearing what is being said, but also taking in the tone, the speed, the word choice and other inputs that add meaning behind the words.
2. Empathy. The next component is empathy. Understanding the speed, tone and words gives you clues on what the other person is feeling. Empathy is just that: feeling and understanding, even for a short moment, where a person is coming from.
3. Clarification. One of the biggest pitfalls of ineffective communication I’ve seen in the workplace is not seeking clarification. Simply acknowledging your understanding of what the other person is saying and ensuring it is correct can go a long way toward avoiding unhealthy conflict.

Perhaps you’ve seen this in your own organization: Someone will rattle off information, ask “Does that make sense?” and the other person nods (even if they don’t understand). One person thinks the information was processed and the task is being completed, the other is clueless — and probably panicking. This common scenario breeds unhealthy conflict, mismatched expectations, poor communication, and time wasted.

Clarification solves this issue with one quick, simple formula: “What I hear you saying is ‘x.’ Do I have that right?”

Contrary to what some people think, asking for clarity does not make either party seem as if they were not listening; it’s quite the opposite. Taking a quick moment to understand what is being said gets everyone on the same page and work completed more efficiently.

What is Effective Feedback?

The next component of a communication-positive workplace is effective feedback. But first, one common myth must be dispelled:

Myth: Feedback is “constructive criticism.”

Fact: Feedback is not criticism. Feedback is merely information.

The guise of feedback being “constructive criticism” is a misnomer with well-meaning intentions; the intention being that feedback will help a person grow. In fact, that is true. The issue, however, lies within the combination of the words “constructive” and “criticism.” Criticism rarely helps with workplace growth and development.

Instead, reframe the concept.

What feedback IS:

• Merely information.
• Objective, not subjective. It is not based on opinion; rather, it is based on information related to observable behaviors.
• Supportive, not punitive. Remember best intentions. The goal of giving feedback is to help someone grow and develop. It is not a means to “go after” someone based on a misunderstood perception of the person.
• In terms of healthy communication, feedback is a two-way street. The giver and receiver of feedback both have important roles. The feedback giver provides information, but the receiver also has an opportunity to either accept or reject what’s being said or ask for more clarification.

What feedback IS NOT:

• A way to demean someone.
• A quick, dismissive conversation where one assumes the receiver understood exactly what was said.
• A sandwich, also known as “compliment-criticism-compliment.” While the intention is to soften the blow of negative feedback, it can obscure the message and opportunities for professional development.

Combining Active Listening and Feedback Into an Effective Conversation

Now let’s bring what we know about active listening and feedback together. Here are six ways to become a more effective communicator in the workplace:

1. When you are the one communicating: Remember that conversations work both ways. Ensure the listener understands you by checking in.
2. Actively listen: Use your senses to understand what’s being said. Listen for tone, word choice, speed of words and other clues. This leads to empathy and a deeper understanding of what the person is feeling.
3. When someone is communicating with you: State what you’re hearing and ensure the other person is understood by asking, “Have I got that right?” They will tell you whether you did, or whether they need to provide clarification.
4. When giving feedback, be prepared: Gather factual information, be specific and make the most of the conversation by making feedback relevant to specific, observable behaviors.
5. Give feedback as close to the situation as possible, but not when you are upset: Allow time and space to rationally organize information and give the most balanced opportunities for development.
6. Be open: Active listening requires that you are receptive to what the other person has to say. Asking clarifying questions means letting go of the fear of feeling like you do not understand. Staying open to more effective communication strategies in the workplace can improve efficiency, cut down on miscommunication and misunderstandings and, best of all, resolve conflict before it even starts.

While conflict in the workplace cannot be entirely avoided and can sometimes be healthy, employing simple, effective techniques like active listening and effective feedback ensures negative and unhealthy workplace communication can be positively mitigated.