How to Improve Employee Satisfaction

January 17, 2019 | by Avid Risk

“Employees are a company’s greatest asset – they’re your competitive advantage. You want to attract and retain the best; provide them with encouragement, stimulus, and make them feel that they are an integral part of the company’s mission”

This quote comes from Anne Mulcahy, former chairperson and CEO of Xerox Corporation. As the previous vice president of human resources, responsible for compensation, benefits, management development, and employee training, Mulcahy developed a high level of expertise on identifying what made her employees tick. Employee satisfaction is something that all managers seek to accomplish, but the dynamic nature of worker desires can make the concept seem out of reach. Luckily, there are steps you can take to build a team that works for your business and sticks around.

Thank you to Mike Kappel for these outstanding tips – read his original article here!

1. Hire the right people

Employee retention starts at the hiring process. You are likely to hire employees who have strong skills that match your open position, but it is important to consider other aspects of the job. How well do the candidates seem to fit with the company’s culture?

You must hire employees who are behavioral and cultural fits for the job. You can ask employees behavioral interview questions to find out how they react in certain situations. Also, during interviews, be sure to show candidates around your business and tell them about your workplace culture. Candidates will hopefully eliminate themselves if they don’t fit in.

If employees don’t fit in with your work environment, They won’t be happy. They won’t fit in, they won’t get along with their co-workers, and they’ll feel lonely. An outstanding candidate that doesn’t match the behaviors and culture of your business won’t stay around long. They’ll take their skills somewhere where they fit in.

2. Offer competitive pay and benefits

People want to be compensated well. They need to cover standard expenses like housing, utilities, and food. And most people want enough money for extras, too. If you don’t pay your employees well, they’ll find a business that will.

When determining compensation for your employees, it’s good to do market research on wages. Find out what your competitors pay their employees. Research a competitive salary range based on similar jobs in your local area. For example, if you want to hire an IT specialist in San Francisco, you should consider what other businesses in San Francisco pay their IT specialists.

And you can’t simply give employees paychecks and be done. Employees want good benefits, too. You must offer competitive benefits that your employees want. Learn about common employee benefits. Then, find out what benefits competitors and other businesses in your area offer.

3. Give praise

Your employees need encouragement and recognition. When employees do something right, show your appreciation. When they finish a large, difficult project or submit a project before the deadline, congratulate them. Show them that you see their hard work.

Now, don’t feel like you have to shower employees with praise for everything they do. You don’t have to praise employees for small, everyday tasks. But, when employees truly do something worth congratulations, give it.

The goal here is to create an encouraging, positive work environment. When employees feel respected, acknowledged, desired, and motivated, they are more likely to stay. Best of all, this method to decrease employee turnover is free. You just have to use your words.

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4. Show the career path

If employees stay stagnate in one job for too long, they might search for another job where they can advance. Most employees want to increase their skills and knowledge and move up the career ladder. Showing employees a projected career path gives them a sense of direction and purpose.

You should show your employees a clear career path. Where can they go from their current position? Maybe it’s an upward or lateral move. Or, maybe your employees can earn more responsibility in their current position. Whatever it is, let your employees know how they can advance.

You can help employees advance along their career path. Provide them with coaching by recommending ways to advance. You can also provide employees with training opportunities. Give them opportunities to learn new skills and practice them.

5. Allow flexible work schedules

If it’s possible, allow flexible work schedules. Flexible work schedules let employees adjust their work time and location. Employees can create a work-life balance for themselves. Your workers can pursue things beyond work, go to appointments, and take care of their families.

Flexible work schedules might not be possible for all businesses. Your employees might need to be at your business at specific times. But there still might be ways you can offer flexibility, such as flexible lunch times.

I let many of my employees use flexible work schedules. They can work from home and adjust their work hours. I understand that my employees have lives outside of work. When employees can live their lives outside of work, they will be more satisfied and less distracted when at work.