A happy and satisfied employee is an asset for every company because they will always perform to the best of their abilities and approach every task with honesty. This allows them to deliver spectacular results and maintain a positive work environment.
But it is the responsibility of the company to ensure employee happiness and satisfaction. A lot of studies show that when companies do not pay heed to employee satisfaction, the work environment in those companies becomes toxic and leads to high employee turnover rates.
So how can a company ensure employee satisfaction? The key is to understand what employees want and make conscious efforts to deliver them exactly that. Let’s look at the factors that contribute to employee satisfaction in the workplace:
• Work-life balance:
In the new age, employees value a good work-life balance more than anything. Working longer hours and missing out on their personal life is no longer acceptable for employees. They want to work dedicatedly and at the same time, enjoy their personal life to the fullest.
Creating an environment that allows employees to work optimally and respecting their boundaries in the post-work hours is necessary to ensure employees have a good work-life balance. This enhances their job satisfaction and makes them feel happy about coming to work.
• Flexible work schedules:
Having the freedom to decide when they want to work and from what location they want to work can add to an employee’s job satisfaction. It allows them to choose a place and time that helps them perform most productively.
Although the pandemic has necessitated working from home, that itself is not the only sign of flexibility. Managers need to stop micromanaging and allow employees to make their own decisions. This empowers them and makes them feel happier in their jobs.
• Learning opportunities:
Being offered opportunities to learn new skills and upgrade their knowledge is of paramount importance to employees. When a company invests in employee learning & development, employees feel valued and become more committed to the organization.
The best part is, it is now easier than ever to provide L&D opportunities to employees with the help of eLearning platforms like Learning Management Systems. They help in delivering, managing, and tracking eLearning courses effortlessly.
• Growth opportunities:
Opportunities to grow within the organization keep employees motivated to perform. If there are very low chances of promotion within a company or employees need to indulge in office politics to get promoted, it can lead to employee dissatisfaction.
When an employee is given due credit for his contributions to the company and offered the deserved promotion, it gives them a sense of achievement. It also ensures they stay motivated to perform well in the future as well.
• Appreciation for the work:
A very underrated factor that heavily contributes to employee satisfaction is appreciation. Human beings crave appreciation and when received, it acts as an important ingredient in enhancing happiness. This enhances their productivity and keeps them engaged.
Employees who receive acknowledgment & appreciation in the workplace flourish faster than those who don’t. Knowing that their hard work is being seen and valued makes employees more grateful and loyal to the company.
• Attractive incentives:
Apart from attractive starting salary packages, offering employees performance-based incentives play a big role in keeping them engaged and satisfied. Financial rewards always make employees happy and appreciated.
In addition, workplace perks like employee discounts on in-house products & services, free health check-ups, maternity & paternity leaves, paid leaves, free meals, etc also contribute to employee job satisfaction.
Conclusion:
In addition to these factors, businesses need to ensure they offer a good work environment that helps employees stay positive. This will ensure employees feel happy and excited about their work every day.
