What Employees Want MOST from Their Jobs

January 08, 2021

According to the latest statistics, only 34% of your employees are engaged at work. That’s bad news for employers, who know their employees are more productive when they’re happy in the work they do. What are employers doing wrong, and what do their employees want? 

10 Things Employees Want from Their Jobs 

Companies have a shot at attracting and retaining top talent if they focus on these things to increase employee engagement: 

1. Establish job expectations and goals that are attainable. Work with your employees to define what success is for each position. Make each of these goals clear and achievable and break out them out in increments, so the rewards come each month or quarter to keep teams motivated. 
2. Reward and praise even small accomplishments. You do catch more flies with honey, so creating a more praise-driven work environment will motivate your teams. Create incentive programs and fun events that celebrate the work you do. 
3. Increase communication between management and employees. Create transparent, regular communications to build trust. Invest in tools that keep your teams collaborating and encourage teams to work together. 
4. Allow for growth within each position on your teams. Establish raises and title changes within each role to give employees something to work toward. Even if the position lacks upward mobility, consider providing training so that your best employees can take on more responsibility and receive financial rewards in the process. 
5. Be authentic and establish trust between management and their workers. Avoid gossip and be genuine and ethical at every level of your organization. Make sure managers follow through on their commitments to employees. Run an ethical company built on doing what you say you’ll do. 
6. Invite employee responsibility by asking for their input. Listen to your team’s ideas and get them involved. Have managers work with their teams to establish individual and group goals. You’ll improve buy-in as a result.  
7. Respect your employees. Don’t build a culture of fear but one where you want to support and encourage them. Be as transparent as you possibly can. 
8. Create something everyone can be proud of hearing. Share stories of what your workplace accomplished and how it affected others.  
9. Build a culture of learning within the organization. Offer education benefits and invest in training your workforce. Encourage employees to learn new skills and support them in their efforts to improve. 
10. Establish measurable achievements that employees can attain. People want to win, so set them up to succeed. 

If you want an engaged workforce, start with your managers. Do they have the skills to foster an environment where employees want to work? If not, teach them what they need to know. Engage all of your employees in the success of the organization by establishing goals with them, not for them. Innovation happens when your employees have a say in the daily work. Then reward more than you punish to create a healthier environment that employees will enjoy participating in.  

Why should employers go to all this effort to engage their workers? Engaged workers are more productive and collaborative. You’ll retain them longer, and they’ll be happier on the job. This will trickle down to your products and customers to improve your organization in the long-term.  

Partner With the Experts!

The Custom Group of Companies works closely with our employer-clients to create better cultures by bringing in a more engaged workforce. Talk with our team about your hiring needs in 2021. We can help.