Obtaining the best from your employees is about more than compensation and benefits. It’s also about creating workplaces that are safe, stimulating, and enjoyable. 79% of American workers say company culture is an essential factor in job satisfaction. Respect, trust, fairness, integrity, and teamwork are crucial attributes of healthy work cultures.

Creating a welcoming company culture can often be the defining factor for candidates when choosing a job. Here is a list of seven proven strategies to help your company improve job satisfaction for your employees.

Educate and Protect Your Company

First and foremost, it is essential for business leaders to educate and protect themselves on the issue of workers’ compensation in regard to employee satisfaction. By staying one step ahead, unfortunate situations can be avoided that could have the potential to cost the company a lot of money. Businesses should seek the advice and legal counsel of a workers’ compensation lawyer not only to educate and protect themselves but also to make the workplace a healthy and satisfying environment.

Have Realistic Expectations

Quite often, the cause of anxiety and stress is unrealistic expectations that are placed on the employees. Add to that the feeling of inability to voice their concerns when they feel overwhelmed by work, and you’ve got a smoldering pot of dissatisfaction.

Work is taking away from personal life more and more these days. 83% of millennials consider work-life balance to be the most critical factor in evaluating a potential job. For some companies, it may be challenging to align the company’s goals with employee satisfaction. However, honest discussions between management and employees concerning expectations will go a long way in this respect.

Recognize and Reward

Employees who feel their superiors treat them with respect are 63% more satisfied with their jobs. Recognizing and rewarding hard work is one of the best ways to improve employee satisfaction in the workplace. Praising your employees when they are working hard will go a long way towards employee satisfaction but rewarding them is the ultimate goal.

Focus on the Long-Term

Rather than looking at “quick wins,” companies should keep in mind the long-term strategic goals of the company, ensuring all employees are on the same page. When companies and employees are on the same page, working towards a common purpose and goal is an excellent motivator for both entities.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

There is no such thing as too much communication. 13% of employed Americans are actively disengaged at work. Unfortunately, the lack of communication is frequently the cause of workplace discontent. Companies should work on creating an open, honest, and receptive culture of communication in the workplace. Your team should be comfortable communicating their thoughts and ideas with management. Lead by example, start the conversation today.

Prioritize Employee Well-Being

Physical and mental well-being are often overlooked in the workplace even though it’s an essential part of job satisfaction. Companies should approach both issues equally and show that they genuinely care about their employees. Get the best performance from your employees by creating and fostering a calm, anxiety-free work environment.

Approximately 2 out of 5 workers have gained weight at their current employment. By giving employees time for exercise, companies who subsidize gym memberships are promoting a fit, healthy lifestyle. This approach is inexpensive and an excellent way to foster a better work-life balance for your employees.

 

Offer Educational Opportunities

Approximately 58% of US managers say they haven’t received any management training. One of the more important aspects of engagement is employee growth in the workplace. In fact, learning and advancement opportunities are also a significant factor for 66% of young workers when deciding whether to trust their companies. Employees who feel they are not advancing in their current position will eventually become dissatisfied and look elsewhere for a more stimulating and challenging job.

By offering your employees opportunities for growth in the company and their career, you will ensure your star talent stays on board, rather than jumping ship for a better opportunity. Companies could offer training or a learning budget that allows employees to pursue outside interests. Companies could also reward employees with challenging merit-based promotions, as well.

 

Conclusion

Happier, more satisfied employees make for a more innovative, engaged, and productive workplace. Even the smallest changes, when initiated, can improve employee contentment, which could have meaningful long-term benefits and rewards. Consider the seven proven strategies we have listed as a guideline to improve your employee’s satisfaction and contentment in the workplace.


Image source: https://unsplash.com/