Employee satisfaction: focus on a core aspect of success
October 25, 2022
December 28, 2023
Is “Happy employees make happy customers” a sustainable business vision? Both Google and Microsoft are considered some of the best companies to work for and have been immensely successful. What do they have in common? They focus on their workers’ well-being. Why would employees be proud and engaged in their work if it doesn’t fulfil them? How can they create a positive image of your organization if their working conditions don’t match their expectations? Last but not least, why would they “waste” their time and energy on a job that doesn’t make them happy? Employee satisfaction is a core pillar for continuous business growth and success. It is fundamental to understand what fosters satisfaction at work, how to measure it, and constantly these improve aspects. Because our goal is to help you embrace the new trends of the future of work, giving you a better insight into this key topic is essential.
Employee satisfaction: a key aspect that makes you grow
Employee retention: a happy workforce stays by your side
If the company you are working for is fulfilling employee expectations and is actively working on improving them, why would you want to leave? This is the same for your team. When they are happy about their work environment, their relationships with their colleagues, the remuneration they get, and the sense of purpose their job provides them, they have no reason for applying somewhere else. This is true during difficult times. A satisfied workforce is more eager to stay by your side and face challenges with you than people that are unhappy about their work.
Brand image: the power of word-of-mouth
Companies that have poor working conditions and fail to focus on their employees’ well-being don’t maintain a good brand image. People talk and social media has given them the opportunity to reach a much bigger audience. However, the power of word-of-mouth can also have a positive influence. Satisfied workers tend to communicate warmly about their professional life and the organization they work for. Consequently, your team members can significantly shape your brand image. When employee satisfaction is publicly known, it can have a meaningful impact, such as an increase in customer trust or a greater talent attraction, for example.
👋 Start a free trial of the deskbird app and discover the benefits of workspace booking and week planning for your flexible workforce!
Talent attraction: everybody wants to work for a company that values its employees
For job seekers, an organization that focuses on its employees and their satisfaction at work is very attractive. Workers’ expectations have changed. They pay more attention to having a good work-life balance, working for a company that matches their values, and being able to work remotely, for instance. There is a perception that Gen-Z “wants it all.” But is it really a bad thing? For Millennials and Gen Z finding a company that aligns with their values is important. Therefore, they tend to apply more to businesses that take employee satisfaction seriously than to organizations that see it as a secondary matter.
Engagement and productivity: the feeling of belonging fosters motivation
We all know the feeling of waking up in a good mood and being motivated to embrace a new day. This is the same feeling your team members have when being satisfied and happy at work. When they are excited about seeing their colleagues or working on a project with purpose, they usually go to work more motivated and are consequently more productive. The goal is to put everything in place to foster this sense of connection to the workplace, the people, and the job itself. Happy employees are naturally more engaged and aspire to work hard!
👉 To learn more about this topic, read our article about employee happiness and productivity!
Focus on people: the golden rule to improve satisfaction at work
Leadership: the powerful impact of an employee-centric approach
Do you have a positive leadership approach? 69% of workers consider resigning due to micromanagement according to Forbes. A recent study from Research Gate confirms that management styles have a major influence on employee satisfaction. Managers who build healthy relationships with their team and do their best to match their needs have a greater chance of improving job satisfaction. Employees expect to be trusted by superiors, recognized, and valued for their input. All of which are core aspects of good leadership.
Work flexibility: each employee is unique and has distinct needs
Some people need to come to the office and see their colleagues stay motivated. Others thrive when they can stay home and focus on their tasks without being interrupted. Flexible work answers everyone’s wishes and therefore increases the overall level of work satisfaction. On top of giving them the choice to work where it suits them best, it also provides more flexibility to their schedule to improve their work-life balance. Mary doesn’t have to miss her boxing classes anymore because of commuting and Josh can finally enjoy some quality time with his family. According to Zippia, “remote workers report higher levels of job satisfaction than in-office workers, at a difference of 57% to 50%.”
👉 What do you think about letting your team work whenever they want? Read more about flexitime to discover the perks of this modern way of working!
Employee expectations: career evolution, transparency, recognition. It all matters!
Promoting an employee-centric approach means knowing, understanding, and intending to meet your employees’ expectations in the workplace. In order to do so, building a good relationship with your workers and being open to feedback is key. If they tell you they are grateful for being able to work hybrid, but regularly struggle to find a workspace when coming to the office, why not use hot desking software? Do they often feel that their input is not valued? Try to acknowledge their job more and include them in conversations and decisions. Do they frequently mention the sensation of being “stuck” and of not growing anymore professionally? Check if a vertical career move is possible so they can develop new skills, or ideally, a promotion!
Positive work environment: being in the right place with the right people
All the key aspects mentioned above are all part of a bigger picture: the work environment you create for your team. A toxic work environment can have negative consequences on your workforce and your company. Yet, a positive one can help both thrive. It fosters workplace connection and positive feelings about their professional lives as a whole. How? By tackling many characteristics that are crucial for your workers such as:
- having a positive workplace culture;
- building trustful relationships with managers and colleagues;
- being able to upskill and reskill;
- having access to new career opportunities;
- evolving in an environment with transparent communication;
- feeling recognized and valued;
- working with the right tools;
- being listened to and considered.
👉 How do you describe the working atmosphere in your organization? Discover what causes a toxic work environment to prevent it from happening in your business.
Time and effort: a long-term investment you won’t regret
Realizing the importance of employee satisfaction and what affects this core pillar of your business is great. However, knowing how to improve and maintain it, in the long run, is even more important. Here are three essential recommendations to increase satisfaction at work.
Communication: take the time to discuss with your team members
There is no way you can improve your employee satisfaction without getting the information from the source. You need to understand what prevents your team from achieving their potential at work. Is it a lack of communication? Do they require more flexible working arrangements? Do they feel that their job is useless and that they don’t have an impact? Many criteria play into employee satisfaction and they can evolve with your workforce. Therefore, making the effort and taking the time to discuss and listen to your staff is essential.
There are countless opportunities to collect opinions. It can be done during team meetings, one-to-one, or through written feedback, for example. It is important that you don’t assume what they need without asking them and that you don’t take them for granted. This is why communication is fundamental to improving how your coworkers feel about their professional lives.
👉 Have you noticed some negative changes in your staff’s behaviors? Get to know more about employee burnout to prevent it from happening to your colleagues!
Surveys: measure your employee satisfaction regularly
You also need to collect data about employee satisfaction to have a better understanding of how your coworkers feel about their jobs and their work environment. Employee satisfaction surveys help you detect major pain points and, on the other hand, the reason why they choose to stay at the company. To be efficient, you have to conduct surveys regularly. If you have never done so, you can download the deskbird employee satisfaction questionnaire that covers all the main topics you should collect feedback.
Another advantage of this practice is to observe the progress over time. Seeing that your efforts are paying off and that your employees are happier about their work is something to be proud of. Not only can you share it with them but you can also make it part of your recruitment strategy to attract the best talent.
Action plan: use your resources to improve satisfaction at work
Once you are aware of the areas that need improvement, you should act on them to make sure your workforce is getting happier. Collect your data, study it and determine what your priorities are. What actions can you take to make things better? Which resources can you use? Why not include your employees in the process?
For example, after analyzing the problem, you could suggest three solutions and ask them which one is the best. In the end, the goal is to satisfy them, right? You won’t be able to solve every issue at once. But regularly investigating what is having a negative impact on your team and improving one factor at a time (by prioritizing) is a safe and efficient action plan to enhance satisfaction at work.
Satisfaction at work is a vast topic that takes effort and can be influenced by various aspects. Yet, our relationship with work has changed. People value their well-being and aspire to work for an organization that matches their expectations and shares their values. You have probably heard this famous quote from Simon Sinek: “Happy employees make happy customers.” This summarizes the importance of having satisfied team members and why it is a core pillar for growth and success. At deskbird, we support you in enhancing employee satisfaction by providing you with a modern tool to become more flexible.
Request a free demo of the deskbird app to discover how a desk reservation system works and the many other people-focused features!
