I sat in a conference and shook my head as consults used a workplace example. “The company is having retention issues, the employees are overworked, leaving in droves, but when they do the exit interview they are saying they are happy. When we interview the employees where they are happy.”

I thought people don’t leave where they are happy. People will not tell you the truth if they do not feel safe. If you believe this and expect me to believe this, you are missing some marbles.

I later talked to a gentleman in the conference who I told this story and said, the people weren’t happy. People won’t tell you the truth when they don’t feel safe.

This was his response to me. “Many people have done surveys on black employees and wonder why they don’t speak up. It is because they have not created a place of safety for them to speak up.”

This is why we have medical lawsuits and sexual harassment. Dawn Bennett-Alexander gives an amazing talk on this.

If you want to start keeping employees give them a safe place to speak.