According to a recent study by an international staffing firm, 73 percent of employees said it is important to feel like they are part of a family at work. Employers also said they prefer a close-knit, familial environment at work. But concerns about job security and the economy make those feelings hard to sustain. Neither workers nor their bosses have complete trust in each other.

The statistics illustrate the problem:

• 70 percent of employees say they're loyal to the boss, while only 53 percent of employers believe that is the case.
• 77 percent of bosses say they're loyal to their workers, while 41 percent of workers feel their boss is loyal to them.
• 92 percent of employers rate their communication with employees as excellent, 69 percent of employees said their bosses were good communicators.

One firm suggests conducting an anonymous employee survey to measure attitudes about work, office policies and management. Then call an employee meeting to target those issues.

Employees should not be afraid to voice their concerns. Companies are often willing to offer greater flexibility to reduce burnout and consequent turnover. Performance reviews are a good time to bring these issues up.