No Muzzle Required: How to Get Your Employees to Speak Up (and Why You Want Them to Do So)

Sometimes, getting your staff to speak openly and honestly to you can feel like coaxing a nervous dog out from under a bed. But it’s not just shyness keeping them quiet. There are real, legitimate reasons why your staff may not be barking up about problems, ideas, or suggestions. 

You might be thinking, “That sounds wonderful. I don’t want them complaining.” 

But here’s the problem, just because your employees aren’t talking to you… doesn’t mean they’re not talking. They might be complaining to fellow employees, or even worse, voicing their displeasure to your customers. Let’s dive into why you need your employees to speak openly and why they might not feel comfortable doing so.  

Why You Want to Hear from Your Employees 

Your employees are your front-line eyes and ears.  

“If you don’t listen to your people, you’re running around with blinders on,” says Mike Lay, owner of Healthy Tails in Las Vegas.  

        1. Your employees will notice when something is off – a confused customer, a glitch in the system, or a fellow employee who is dropping the ball – before it becomes a negative Yelp review or a resignation letter. 

        2. They often have great suggestions that can improve your business. “I can’t even remember all the times my employees have come to me with product or service ideas. They’ll see something in a trade magazine, or hear about a product from a customer, and ask if we can carry it,” says Lay. “Some of my best products have been brought to my attention by my staff.” 

        3. When employees don’t feel heard, or are afraid of what will happen if they speak up, it breeds frustration, resentment, and good people heading for the door.  

It’s essential to build trust with your employees, foster open communication, and create a positive employee feedback culture.  

Three Reasons Your Team Isn’t Speaking Up

1. They Don’t Care. Let’s face it: not every team member is going to be as loyal as a Labrador. Some are more like aloof cats — showing up when it suits them, doing the bare minimum, and bolting the second the store closes. If the building caught fire during their off-hours? They’d just find a new job. These folks aren’t invested, and chances are, they’re not going to start volunteering ideas anytime soon.

2. They’ve Been Scolded Before. Even your most loyal team members may keep their tails tucked when it comes to speaking up. Why? Fear. Maybe you (or a previous boss) made it clear—directly or indirectly—that speaking up could get them disciplined, passed over, or even shown the door. Employees carry the weight of previous work trauma. If they’ve been punished for speaking up before, don’t be surprised if they stay silent now.

3. They’ve Learned It Doesn’t Matter. Imagine a dog that hits the “treat” button a hundred times and never gets a biscuit. Eventually, they stop trying. The same goes for employees. If they’ve poured out their concerns before — only to get a head tilt, a vague “we’ll look into it,” and zero follow-through—they’ll quit speaking up. It’s not that they don’t care. It’s that they’ve stopped believing change is possible.

How to Build a Speak-Up Culture 

Here’s the secret to building trust and getting your team to howl: AHA (Ask – Hear – Act). 

1. Ask (and Mean It). Grab a leash and take your team for a walk — metaphorically speaking. Sit down one-on-one and ask real, open-ended questions. And for the love of squeaky toys, give them the questions in advance so they don’t feel ambushed.

Try these:

• What’s one thing we could be doing better? 
• How do you feel about your current workload? 
• Any ideas to improve our products, services, or processes? 
• What’s something you’ve been wanting to say since Day One? 

Oh, and let them know it’s safe. There will be no negative fallout from what they share with you.  

2. Hear Them (No Growling). This one’s big. Don’t just nod and mentally check your to-do list. Really listen. Even if what they say feels like a bite to the ego, hold your reaction. You can gnaw on a yak chew later.

One time, I worked up the nerve to share some tough feedback with a former boss. Her response? Full-volume barking. I walked out of that meeting trembling, and never brought another concern to her again. (Spoiler alert: I also didn’t stay long.) 

So when someone on your team speaks up, just… listen. Say thank you. Appreciate their courage. Even if they didn’t phrase it perfectly, remember that this is what growth looks like. 

3. Act (Even if It’s Just a Head Tilt). No, not every suggestion will lead to a policy change. If someone wants “Bikini Fridays,” you don’t need to bring in sand and SPF. But if they make a valid point, do something. Consider it. Acknowledge it. If appropriate, try to implement it.

Sometimes, action means solving a real problem. Sometimes, it’s just letting them know they’ve been heard. Either way, you’re reinforcing that speaking up is worth it. 

Final Thought 

When you create a culture where employees feel safe to speak up, they’ll stop whispering complaints in the breakroom (or to customers) and start bringing solutions to you. It’s like getting the honesty of an exit interview before they hand in their leash. And guess what? Fewer people will be heading for the doggy door in the first place. 

Sheryl Green is a speaker, author and workplace culture consultant who helps pet industry leaders sniff out healthier boundaries, curb burnout, and keep their best people from bolting out the door. She’s the author of You Had Me at No and leads workshops that help teams work like a well-trained pack.