So what do workers really want from their workplace? For many people, the majority of the days in the week are spent working. You could say that working is an integral part of life. Therefore, having the best kind of working environment and quality of work is so important. Counting the clock until the end of the day does not have to be a daily thought process. What do workers really want and how can you as a manager or employer make working more enjoyable for your dedicated staff?
Firstly, it may be useful to say that there is no one size fits all, what one person values will be different than another. However, a combination of positive perks and changes around the workplace could cater to different people and tastes, such as social work events or leisure discounts.
1. Perks
According to a survey, 3 in 5 people state that benefits and perks are a major factor in considering whether to accept a job offer. This shows how important employee perks are to people. It is not just about the salary. Why not organise a work social event for people to get to know each other better and have some fun doing an activity or a work meal. Even small perks such as discounts for leisurely excursions, reduced rates for health insurance or longer holiday entitlement could be beneficial for workers mentally and physically. Perks can help to motivate and support staff better. A supported and thriving workforce could mean better motivation and overall business for you in the long run.
Research suggests the positive link between healthy living and improved mental health. Encouraging healthy lifestyle choices such as a cycle to work scheme or a small cost of placing healthy free fruit and snacks in the staff room could be massively beneficial for employees and the employer in the long run.
2. Trust and recognition
Trusting your employees to get on with the work could be more favoured as opposed to overloading employees with requests and emails. Allowing your workers more freedom could allow them to be more productive because they will want to do well if there is good rapport with your staff. Understand and have faith in your employees, although checking in on their progress is understandable. Finding the right balance is key to having a happy team!
Recognition ties in with the next point of career growth. However, simply by giving your workers recognition can help them to feel appreciated for the work they do. Positive reinforcement and appreciating your workers can boost motivation and satisfaction in their role. By focusing on the positives of employees work, not just negatives can really help to remind your staff of their value within your business.
3. Career development
Workers who feel stagnant in their role could be more likely to leave. No room for career growth can negatively impact workers. One study shows that almost half of people stated lack of career growth as their main reason for leaving their job. So what ways can workers obtain promotions or develop their skill set? Creating opportunities for career growth can be great to boost working morale and help to build a stronger and connected team of employees. Clear communication of how workers can develop in their current or future role could inspire people to progress their career.
If your company does not have the funds to create new managerial roles with a higher salary then perhaps providing some training in different areas within the business could be an idea. Giving advice for workers who are looking to progress their chosen career may be very useful to them.
4. Opportunity to share
At the end of the day, everyone wants to feel heard and understood. So why not create incentives for workers to share ideas and opinions. Or simply, ask your workers what their thoughts are on certain areas of the company. Let your team feel involved by getting your team involved! Also, an employee could have a great idea to help and improve your business or service, however, there may not be any encouragement or processes in place that allows room for ideas. It could be time to make some changes and cultivate a workplace that welcomes more diverse perspectives.
5. Feel supported
It is not just about sharing ideas but it is also important to get to know your team. Allow them a space where they can come to you for support or have any issues to raise. Listening and truly encouraging an opportunity to share can really make a difference for some people. Of course, not everyone will feel the same about talking, however, knowing that this kind of communication is welcomed is better than without.
Supporting your workers is important. Perhaps your business could do this by providing or encouraging access to well-being resources. Let your team know where to go if something is affecting them. Better mental wellbeing is also shown to boost productivity at work but will also ensure that your staff feel happy and supported.
6. Conclusion
So what do workers really want? The best bet is to try different things out and see what works. There are lots of ways to contribute towards a happy team. Hopefully there has been some inspiration for ideas of changes you could adopt in your workplace. At the end of the day, everyone wants to have the best, fulfilled life as much as possible. By seeing things from a different perspective, we can all hopefully achieve this.