What is Important to the Employee Today?

One of our key goals over the past year has been to share with our subscriber’s information to assist you in making quality business decisions by providing current information on what is happening in the work environment.  Sharing how progressive companies deal with their challenges will hopefully offer you solutions for the future.  One important area for HR is to determine what is important to the employees.  In reviewing the data three key areas are deemed to be more important that other areas.  These include:

Employee Management Relations

With respect to employee management relations, employees gave this area an importance rating of 84.6 (using a 1 - 100% scale). A great many respondents believe that their manager will listen to their point of view and assist them in growing professionally, are an excellent mentor and coach.   In addition, the survey results indicate that management treats and respects all individuals. The data also suggests that diversity is encouraged and has become a part of the corporate culture.

Fair Compensation

Compensation is valued by employees at an 84.5% rating (using a 1 - 100% scale).  This rating suggests that as business becomes more profitable employers will need to respond to the pressure from their staff to increase merit pay.  If not, companies may see a rise in turnover due to poor pay practices. The data suggests that progressive compensation practices are a key indicator of a productive organization.  Ensuring that a company’s compensation program remains competitive is an important issue that employers will need to address in the near term, especially in circumstances where employees’ workloads and responsibilities have increased due to reduced staffing levels or the realignment of the business. 

Job Satisfaction

The data suggests that over the past several years job satisfaction has become more important to employees.  Enhancing and maintaining this satisfaction with one’s job is critical to retaining talent and keeping employees engaged in the success of the business.  Job Satisfaction is valued by employees at an 84.1% rating (using a 1 - 100% scale).  This rating suggests that management will need to focus on activities that challenge, enrich and support the development of the staff.  This will not only increase job satisfaction but better support both the internal and external the customer.

In conclusion, employers today face extraordinary challenges with respect to managing the business and at the same time meeting the needs of their employees.  Human Resources is up to the challenge and we will continue to be a partner with the business.

For a complete review of functional areas that are important to employees please see the chart below: