Every business owner knows the importance of keeping their employees satisfied and happy. But, the words ‘satisfied’ and ‘happy’ are intangibles. It is not always easy to know what they mean or if they can be measured. So while business owners want a happy workforce, they may not know how or why employee dissatisfaction in their company is on the rise. Could it be that job and employee satisfaction are the same? Would it be enough to create a workplace that focuses on job satisfaction? These questions may come up when grappling with the decrease in employee engagement. Fortunately, it is a fixable situation.  

This blog aims to clarify the idea of ensuring job satisfaction and employee engagement. But first, we will explore what we mean by job satisfaction and the factors that result in lower job satisfaction levels.  

What is Job Satisfaction?

Job satisfaction is the contentment employees feel about their job. It is generally measured by how happy employees are with their working conditions. It can be defined as a general sense of happiness with one’s current job or career. It may include pay, benefits, working conditions, or the opportunity to use one’s skills and abilities. Happiness can be relative, and employees will respond to work conditions differently. Therefore, it is best to understand the factors impacting job satisfaction levels. 

What are the Top Factors that Affect Job Satisfaction?

Job satisfaction covers a myriad of variables, and the reasons employees become unhappy in their workplace could be a combination of more than one factor.  

Let’s look at a few contributing factors that cause burnout and increase the desire to leave your job. 

Being underpaid 

When employees are not compensated fairly, and in line with industry standards, you will find them either quitting or staying on despite feeling disgruntled, leading to poor performance. In either scenario, the loss is yours. 

Zero recognition 

This is more common than you think. Employees who feel unappreciated despite their consistent hard work will lose all motivation, which will show in their attitude and work. 

Insufficient growth opportunities 

Every employee wants to see their career grow. They don’t want to look back and regret missed opportunities. Employees will go elsewhere if the employer or manager cannot show employees’ career trajectories or if there is no real career growth in the organization. 

A lack of work-life balance 

It may not be possible to ensure a strict eight-hour shift or enough vacation days each year. The pandemic has shown us how unpredictable things can be. However, unrealistic expectations and blurred boundaries can make employees feel overworked. It is not a sustainable work practice. It will only build resentment and dissatisfaction, causing employees to put in their papers.  

Now that we understand some of the factors that impact job satisfaction, it is easy to see why it is essential to establish best practices and maintain high satisfaction levels, without which there will be significant fallout due to unhappy employees. 

What is the fallout from unhappy Employees

Employees who are unhappy at work won’t stay motivated and engaged. When they’re not engaged, their work performance will suffer, leading to even more unhappiness. It’s a vicious cycle and tough to break out of.  

• Employees may start looking for a new job. It can be a good thing if they find a better fit elsewhere, but it can also be a considerable disruption to the team if they’re in the middle of a project, especially if they are your high performers.  
• They may start disengaging from their work, leading to lower quality work, missed deadlines, and more mistakes, costing time, money, and resources. 
• Unhappy employees can spread negativity to other employees, creating a toxic work environment. It can bring down team morale and increase the number of employees feeling unhappy. 

Any of the above can directly hit your business growth and the bottom line. So what can you do if your employees are unhappy at work? You can acknowledge a problem and find ways to turn things around. The tips in this blog can stop the downward spiral and breathe fresh life into your organization. 

Tips to help re-energize Employees  

While the tips below may be challenging to execute, you have performance management software in the market that will simplify the process and ensure consistent monitoring of the workplace’s pulse. 

Start simple and Acknowledge Employee Milestones

Personal ones like their birthdays or anniversaries, and professional ones like work anniversaries are cause for celebration. They will feel noticed and happy that they matter. 

Pay attention to Employee Wellness

We have seen the havoc caused by the pandemic, physically and mentally. Mental health has taken on great significance, and employees can easily fall prey to job stresses and burnout. Encourage employees to take time for themselves, arrange bi-annual or annual checkups, and show them how they can take a short break between meetings.  

Recognize Employees for what they do 

It is easy to overlook someone, even those who do exemplary work. Implement rewards and recognition programs or an employee appreciation day, so every employee feels they are valued. Recognition can come in two parts — one for those that consistently perform well and one for the high performers who show initiative and go beyond what their roles require. There is nothing like an online shout-out or a gesture of appreciation to boost motivation levels. 

Create a transparent Work Culture

Without transparency, you have no trust. And trust is vital to a healthy work environment. Employees must feel they can communicate freely and not be dismissed or ignored. After all, you don’t know where the next brilliant idea will come from. Furthermore, transparency keeps the information flowing and the decision-making a joint effort.  

Offer a growth Roadmap

It is never a good idea if employees fear stagnation. Showing them that there is a roadmap at the outset and helping them meet their career objectives can go a long way to job satisfaction. The time you take to structure the employee’s professional development will pay off in increased motivation and productivity.  

Empower your Employees

Employees must have some autonomy if they are to show creativity and initiative. When they are allowed to make decisions, they feel respected and trusted. Micromanaging is a no-no because helicopter supervision can erode employees’ self-esteem, and they begin to second-guess their decisions. They also stop looking for support and encouragement.  

These are but a few tips to improve job satisfaction. But they require strategic training of managers and team leaders. For instance, managers may need the training to carry the plan forward. Being a supportive mentor and building mutual trust between team members and team leader can be vital to productivity and success. HR initiatives to train senior employees must be integral to performance management. 

Wrapping up 

Regardless of the size of the team or the organization, due importance given to employee job satisfaction is essential. With the market saturated with performance management systems, it may be challenging to sift through the tools and technology and select the one most suitable for your business. However, it is worth the investment for the overall health index of the organization. Vying to be the best place to work is also worth the time and effort.

Also you may like this to read:

Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction and Tips to Improve Opportunities for Employee Advancement