10 questions employees are afraid to ask

Despite the increased focus on employee experience, there are still some conversations that are hard to have at work — but they don't have to be. 

Twenty-two percent of workers admit that they aren't communicating directly when having difficult conversations in the workplace, according to a recent survey from digital marketing agency Fractl, and it's driving a wedge between employees and their employers. In an effort to highlight the biggest pain points, online learning platform Virtual College analyzed and ranked the topics the workforce is struggling with the most.  

"A lot of the time, employees shy away from topics [out of] fear that bringing them up could lead to rejection or conflict with their managers," says Jamie Ashforth, director of business and strategy at Virtual College. "This is often rooted in a desire to avoid negative feelings or strain in professional relationships. A number of people also struggle with self-confidence, which means that they often find it difficult to discuss their worth and contributions effectively."

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Nearly half of the total search volume alone relates to conversations around salary and compensation, according to Virtual College's findings, with the top phrase employees are searching being "How to ask for a raise" coming in at a worldwide monthly search volume of 33,000. This reveals that despite the progress organizations have made when it comes to compensation, there remains a significant concern about discussing financial matters with employers. 

Navigating workplace relationships also seems to be weighing heavily on employees' minds, seeing as questions like "How to ask management a question" and "How to ask for feedback" both made the top three and "Signs that your boss wants you to quit" made the top 10. And while it's healthy for employees to be curious about some of these topics, Ashforth urges employers to be proactive about prioritizing healthy communication before it leads to turnover. 

"One of the best things that employers can do is truly acknowledge the need for psychological safety in the workplace," she says. "If this doesn't exist, how can they develop safety, encourage best practices from within and ensure this environment is sustainable?" 

See which conversations employees are struggling with the most in the workplace: