Company Blog

Communication: Harder Than Parallel Parking

by Adam Zack — August 28, 2025

“…few leaders get an A in communication. If we’re being generous, I’d give the
average manager a C-minus. And that’s not just in grocery—it’s everywhere..”

The struggle is real. Trying to consistently, clearly, and meaningfully communicate with your employees is a full-time job on top of your actual full-time job. It’s constant, ever-evolving, and just when you think you’ve got a handle on it, a new hire says, “I don’t really check email, I just follow vibes.” As your team matures and new generations join the crew,
the gap between what you think is important and what they actually care about grows wider. You haven’t changed—but they sure have.

What hasn’t changed? Everyone, from store directors to part-time dishwashers, just wants to know what’s going on. What are the goals, the programs, the changes, the results? Why are we doing what we’re doing? Is the company doing well? Are the owners happy with our work? The desire to feel “in the know” isn’t generational—it’s human. And yet, few leaders get an A in communication. If we’re being generous, I’d give the average manager a C minus. And that’s not just in grocery—it’s everywhere.

Recently I came across a comparison list showing what employees actually want versus what their bosses think they want. It’s pretty telling:

WHAT EMPLOYEES WANT (IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE):
1. Full appreciation for work done
2. Feeling “in” on things
3. Sympathetic help on personal problems
4. Job security
5. Good wages
6. Interesting work
7. Promotion and growth opportunities
8. Personal loyalty from management
9. Good working conditions
10. Tactful discipline

WHAT BOSSES THINK EMPLOYEES WANT (IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE):
1. Good wages
2. Job security
3. Promotion and growth opportunities
4. Good working conditions
5. Interesting work
6. Personal loyalty from management
7. Tactful discipline
8. Full appreciation for work done
9. Sympathetic help on personal problems
10. Feeling “in” on things

Notice anything? The top three things employees actually value—genuine appreciation, being included, and empathetic support—cost little to nothing. But they almost never top a manager’s to-do list. Why? Because we’re in a low-margin business, constantly cost conscious, and conditioned to believe that money is the main motivator. But it’s not. The return on simple, consistent efforts to recognize, communicate, and include your team is massive: higher morale, stronger loyalty, better performance, fewer surprise resignations, and a workplace people actually want to be part of. Maybe what your team needs isn’t another meeting or a new policy. Maybe they just need a genuine “thank you,” a little transparency, and the occasional donut.