by Stacey Mc Grath, Digital Marketing Executive with Intelligo Software who provide Corporate HR Software and Payroll Software
We hear the term appear regularly now in the world of HR, but what exactly is job satisfaction? It ranges from measurable factors such as acceptable salary standards and benefits to more unmeasurable factors like feeling valued and growth possibilities. After all, employees want the opportunity to grow within their organisation, as well as bosses who appreciate them. All this leads to employees feeling a sense of happiness in what they do and how they are compensated – also known as job satisfaction.
Companies are continually trying to balance their ability to deliver job satisfaction to employees without blowing their budget. But considerate thought must be given to how much you want or need to retain your employees. For many businesses, your workers are your most important asset. Hiring, onboarding and training new employees is not only expensive but costly and time-consuming. Losing valuable employees may also mean losing essential knowledge and experience. Unsurprisingly, pay and bonuses are a large part of what keeps employees at your business and keep turnover low. However, a balance between this and other elements must be obtained for employees to feel that job satisfaction no matter how much they receive in compensation. There is no single right method for increasing job satisfaction; you may need to try a mixture of measures to see what works. To get you started, here are some tips.
Create a positive environment.
Building job satisfaction begins by first creating a positive work environment. So much of our time is spent in the workplace; it’s critical to guarantee that the environment stays positive. But how can you create a positive work environment for all employees, so that they can strive in their jobs, are happy, and your company gets the very best from them? – Ask them! Find out about their needs and what would make them more satisfied or less stressed within their working environment both physically and in a general working sense. Some of the elements that employees will seek include;
– employee engagement programmes
– flexible working
– childcare assistance
– office re-design
– new desk or chairs
– cleaner working spaces
Pay your employees correctly.
Paying your employees according to standards in your industry is both morally right, and a good idea from an HR perspective. Employees will be more content with their compensation if they recognise it is equivalent to what their associates in the industry are receiving. Paying employees lower salaries than their counterparts in the sector can demotivate them and prompt them to look for employment elsewhere, meaning you could lose your best workers.
Use reward and recognition systems.
Using reward and recognition systems is a powerful way to show employees they matter to you and your business, therefore building morale, motivation and job satisfaction. Such methods can be as simple or as complicated as you need or want them to be for your business. It can range from providing positive feedback such as giving employees handwritten, personal notes when they have done great work, or hosting small, informal celebrations throughout the year as rewards. We expand more on this is our recent article, Employee Reward Systems – The Do’s and Don’ts.
Provide training and growth opportunities.
There are numerous reasons training and growth makes sense when it comes to job satisfaction for your employees and your business. It makes your workers feel more valued, and it makes your organisation more efficient – it’s a win-win situation. For the employees who know they can develop their skills and rise within the business, they are more satisfied with their work and role, whereas for your business training and development drives workers to make them more productive and innovative.
Engage your workers.
People may show up for work day after day but are they engaged, productive and satisfied with their jobs? People are more committed and happy with work when there is a process for them to contribute their ideas and suggestions for the company. Providing opportunities for your employees to engage within your business, goes a long way towards aiding this. This provides employees with a sense of ownership and pride in their work and their roles.
In truth, it doesn’t take that much additional energy to ensure job satisfaction for your employees. Workers want to feel respect and support, while working in a safe, positive environment, with acceptable pay standards and opportunities to advance. When your business works to develop ways to deliver on these factors, not only does it satisfy employees, it also helps build a firm, more stable and productive future for your company and bottom line. If you are looking for further assistance in managing payroll and benefits for your employees, consider a Payroll Software or Managed Payroll Service that will best assist your business.
