A huge lesson from the pandemic that too many managers haven't learned: there is a good chance that what you believe about your team and workplace isn't accurate. I don't mean slightly wrong - I mean totally off base to the point of embarrassment.
One area we are seeing this is in the return to the office. Managers believed and acted like employees were anxious to come back to the office. Managers explained that people work better when they are physically together and they missed the standards that they had been used to. Sure, they conceded, there are some things that can make the workplace better, but overall - workers want and need to be there.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Workers may not like being stuck at home with 3 kids who are Zoom learning in a culture where going to the grocery store is a big adventure. That isn't what life is now. Kids are back in school, meaning work from home not only can be peaceful, but it gives you the flexibility to take care of the kids. Those free meals or benefits at the office? They were only benefits because there was no other option. Guess what - I don't need a service that picks up my laundry from work when I can do it from home (or have it picked up from home).
All those things were perks because I had to commute and be in the office. When I don't, they are most often things workers don't want or need.
Managers need to think about their thoughts and beliefs and question them - they will find that some things they thought were givens before, just are not true anymore. Not realizing this is a big key to engaging the team.