Every employer should want happy employees. As Hendrith Vanlon Smith, Jr., CEO of Mayflower-Plymouth Capital said, “When your employees are happy at work, they do a better job. And when they do a better job, customers feel it. And when customers feel that happiness coming from a company’s employees, it’s like they just wanna spend their money there.” Continuing, he said, “When employees are unhappy with their job, they underperform and they’re less productive. Smart employers invest in employee happiness.”
12 Things Employees Want from Their Job
It is up to every employer to ensure that employees find fulfillment, happiness, and security in their work. Here are some tips to provide the things that employees want from their work:
- A clear definition of work responsibilities, expectations, and goals.
- Recognition for their work, progress, accomplishments, and goals achieved. This needs to be genuine recognition, not forced or impersonal.
- The opportunity for continuous learning, career growth, and personal development. Employees become increasingly motivated when they can increase their skills.
- The ability to do what is best. Allow employees to have some work flexibility to use their strengths and creativity in accomplishing their work.
- Create an atmosphere of trust and respect. Follow through on your promises and conduct business and employee relationships in an ethical manner. Let them feel your respect and trust.
- Make sure that they can take pride in their work. Ensure that teamwork operates positively to instill pride in all members of the team.
- Assign and align workers so that they can succeed and feel achievement in their work.
- Institute clear and open communication practices. Everyone should feel that they are well-informed, “in the loop,” and up to date.
- Provide stability and job security.
- Perhaps more than ever before, it is important to have a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone feels wanted and appreciated.
- It has become significantly more compelling in the last decade to help employees achieve a good work-life balance along with a sense of good personal well-being. According to a recent Gallup survey, 61 percent of today’s workforce cited that as “very important.”
- As expected, employees seek the opportunity to get increased income and benefits. According to the Gallup survey, 64 percent of workers said this was “very important.”
The Benefits of Having Happy Employees
Happiness doesn’t equate to constant smiles, backslapping, and partying. It does mean satisfaction and fulfillment. Happy employees are far more engaged, motivated, and productive than unhappy ones. Employees want to do what they are best at doing, so give them a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment in their job assignments. Focusing on employee well-being will decrease stress and increase their emotional resilience, thus avoiding burnout. Making sure that employees are happy will help to prevent their leaving to find it elsewhere.
Choose an Outsource Payroll Partner to Assist You
Choose Palmetto Payroll, South Carolina’s payroll partner to assist you in achieving employee satisfaction. We have offices in Columbia and Charleston and serve over 300 businesses throughout The Palmetto State. We pride ourselves on superb customer service and efficiency, using the latest technology and delivering expert payroll, tax filing, tax depositing, management reporting, and Human Resource Services.
