Most employers think they know what their team wants — higher pay, better benefits, and maybe a little flexibility.
But the truth is more complex. Employees are people, not packages. Their priorities are shaped by their lives, their goals, and how they define success. What matters to one person might mean nothing to someone else. And what mattered last year may have completely changed today.
If you’re not asking the right questions, you’re building strategy on assumptions.
At whyHR, we believe good leadership starts with listening. That’s why we encourage employers to go deeper, not just in interviews but in ongoing conversations, to better understand what your employees personally value and whether you can meet those needs.
A four-part exercise with powerful results
So, how do you start these conversations? From hiring someone new to checking in with long-time team members, this exercise opens the door for honest dialogue about expectations, values, and what success looks like to each person.
We ask employees to rank the following four priorities in order of importance and to define what each one means to them:
- Professional development
- Time
- Benefits
- Money
The definitions matter just as much as the rankings. One person’s version of professional development might mean conference travel and certifications. For someone else, it could mean regular mentorship or being part of high-level conversations. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know, and that opens the door for disappointment on both sides.
This approach helps you clarify early on whether your business can meet the needs of a prospective hire or a current employee. It also gives your team language and permission to reflect on what they value most while knowing those values may shift over time.
Priorities change – and so should the conversation
An employee who joins your team fresh out of college may care most about salary. A few years later, that same person may value flexible hours or professional growth more than compensation. Life stages change, and so do people’s needs.
That is why we revisit this same exercise each year during goal setting. Asking employees to reassess their priorities creates meaningful conversation and encourages trust. It also helps business owners better align roles, benefits, and expectations based on what employees actually care about rather than what we assume they do.
Going deeper: what really drives your team?
In addition to the first four, we ask employees to rank another set of four categories:
- Family
- Community engagement
- Job
- Self
While we do not ask for definitions on these, the ranking opens the door to deeper insight. For example, someone who places community engagement last may need more time for family or personal wellness. Another employee might rank community first and thrive with opportunities to serve on boards or attend public events.
When you understand what drives your people, you can support them more effectively and give them more reasons to stay.
Don’t try to be everything
No company can meet every need for every person. The goal is not to check every box. The goal is to create space for clarity and honest dialogue, so both sides understand what is possible.
When you know what matters most to your team, you can make better decisions, allocate resources more wisely, and build a workplace where people feel seen, valued, and supported.
At whyHR, we help businesses build better conversations, better strategies, and better retention. Reach out to learn how we can help.