Anyone else experienced leadership that suddenly gets "appreciative" only after people start leaving?
Long time lurker, first time posting. Just need to get this off my chest.
My team has been going through a rough few months. We had a major project that dragged on for about 3 months with zero clear direction from leadership. My colleague (one of the hardest working people I know) was being pressured to work faster and harder while leadership couldn't even agree on what the end goal was. We finally wrapped it up and the solution we landed on was essentially what my colleague had proposed at the very beginning!!! Three months of stress, conflict, and overwork for nothing.
Now one of our senior team members just announced they're leaving for a competitor that pays better and possibly better work-life balance (but that is still up in the air). Suddenly leadership is sending warm messages about how much they appreciate everyone, checking in on people's wellbeing, wishing us nice weekends.
It's giving too little too late energy. The damage is already done. People don't forget how they were treated when things were hard. Appreciation that only shows up when retention is at risk isn't appreciation.... it's damage control.
Has anyone else experienced this pattern? Leadership that only notices people when they're about to lose them? Would love to hear how others have navigated it and whether to stay, how to protect your peace, or when you knew it was time to go.