How to improve employee satisfaction

The majority of adults spend more hours at work then they do at home, or socialising – so, it comes as no surprise that this generation of employees care more about their job than previous generations. Many employees do not want to simply go to work, complete their tasks and return home. They instead want to reach the top of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, feel valued in their job position and become an integrate part of the company’s culture.

Together with Impact International, experts in and advocates of change management and employee engagement, we look at the latest research surrounding employee satisfaction in the workplace:

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The motivators of satisfaction

In a 2016 survey, conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, employee satisfaction in the workplace was explored. It was revealed that the biggest motivators for employee satisfaction were as followed:

Respectful treatment of employees, this was ranked first.
Job security.
Opportunities to use skills and abilities at work.
Supervisor’s respect for your work.
Compensation and pay.

The survey also discovered that younger generations found career development opportunities, career advancement opportunities and job-specific training more valuable than older employees.

How can you keep your employees happy?

A common mistake made by employers is to assume that staff are happy if you are getting the results you want – however, you could be wrong. Productivity can increase with a happier workforce and it is worth implementing some of the following strategies to get the best out of your staff:

Respectful treatment of employees

Listed as the most influencing factor towards employee satisfaction, this one shouldn’t be ignored. One way to ensure that your employees are being treated with respect is to maintain an approachable attitude. As a boss, if employees feel that they can come to you with issues, it will be easy to find out if anyone is being disrespectful. Employers can introduce regular reviews with staff to demonstrate their concern for welfare and provide opportunity for problems to be raised.

Job security

Finding a new job can be stressful and, at times, demotivating – instead, staff want to feel secure in their position and valued, as it means they can come to work feeling safe and happy. One way to implement this in the workplace is to keep staff informed of the financial situation of the business. Update members of the company with successes and profits to keep them in the loop.

Opportunities to use skills and abilities at work

For many people, they want to work towards their full potential in their role – when they feel overqualified for a job they can feel demotivated in their role if they are not using their skills and knowledge to the best of their ability. As the research showed, Millennials are happy to undertake job-specific training too, to develop their skills further. Bosses should aim to ensure that members of staff are in the correct role for their skillset. This can also be discussed in regular review sessions – perhaps a member of staff has more to bring to the company than you know of.

Supervisor’s respect for your work

It’s important to let your employees know that you value their work. Some employees may find it demotivating and upsetting when they spend time on a piece of work that goes unappreciated. The key here is the approach to staff that supervisors take. By providing relevant feedback to employees or taking time out to thank them for their time, this can make staff feel more valued. Approaching members of staff this way may also encourage them to work hard in the future.

Compensation and pay

Salaries and compensation will always be a key aspect in encouraging new employees through the front door, but money isn’t always key to employee retention and satisfaction. Compensation can come in the form of a reward system – perhaps the employee of the month may receive a prize or short trip somewhere. Offering trips and social events for employees can also encourage them to feel valued, as it is a treat that they would not have received if they did not work there.

As we have seen, employee satisfaction is largely dependent on the attitudes within the organisation. This can be improved without massive investments or having to compromise any business activity. Through valuing your staff and encouraging employee engagement, in addition to a happy workforce, you may also see your productivity levels soar.