If you’re a busy manager or CEO of a bustling business, we’re going to take a bet that ‘improving employee satisfaction’ is not at the top of your to-do list right now. Listen, that’s not a diss – we know that standing at the helm of an enterprise is a juggling act that requires a lot of time, resources and finesse. Being asked to load employee satisfaction on a plate that is already full to the point of being somewhat ridiculous can feel a lot like this Bruce Willis GIF sure man, no problem, load it on top of the pile of must-do items I need to attend to today.
This is fine, right?
However, we’re here to tell you that actively working on improving employee satisfaction can actually help to trim down that crazy to-do list you’ve got going on. Here’s why.
Here are 4 reasons why improving employee satisfaction is good for business:
1. Satisfied employees really dig their jobs
When you actively work to improve employee work environments at your place of business, your team members will notice. And you know what? Happy, secure, well-resourced employees see the extra mile as a part of the journey. They take the time to upskill, mentor their peers, come up with innovative ideas and rise to the occasion every chance they get. When you have a bunch of these shiny, happy people working in collaboration, you have a dynamic situation on your hands that results in joyous synergy and incredible business outcomes in general. (Sorry if we sounded a little over-enthusiastic there, but if you’ve seen one of these spaces in action you’d be swinging your metaphorical pom poms too.)
You can read more here: The low-down on employee loyalty & why it’s so important.
2. Employees are people who talk to other people
Once your employees walk out of your office to resume their everyday lives, they are real, live people with networks and connections of their very own. This is a very important thing to remember when you’re considering improving employee satisfaction. A happy employee is a walking billboard that shows the world at large that you treat your people right and care for their wellbeing. Burned-out, downtrodden employees? Not so much. Even if they are not actively badmouthing your business to potential customers or top talent as they move around the world, it will be pretty evident that they’re not having a great time of it. Sometimes that’s enough to make a dent in your company’s reputation out there in the city **insert CSI theme song (AKA Won’t Be Fooled Again by The Who)**.
Insider tip: Did you know you can quantify the picture your employees are painting of your business Out There? You totally can! Take a look at this recent blog of ours to learn all about the eNPS and the formula you can use as a measuring tool.
3. It influences “The Vibe”
Job satisfaction is based on a lot more than the numbers on a paycheck at the end of the month. Studies show that company culture plays a tremendous role in overall employee satisfaction. Here’s a link to a South African industrial psychology study that explains the relationship between employee satisfaction and organisational performance within a government department if you want to take a look.
So, let’s talk about culture for a bit. It’s such a strange thing to try and define. Essentially it’s The Vibe, you know? Every place and person has one. You feel it when you walk into a room and when you shake hands with a person for the very first time. It can be good, bad or neutral. Whatever it is, it’s important. When we refer to the vibe of a company, we talk about culture.
Culture is the thing that inspires us to support football clubs, join certain universities, and follow particular bands. It’s the magic ingredient that gives us a sense of belonging among other individuals. Employees look for the same thing from their company. They are looking for a vibe that matches their own, so they can feel that their values are aligned with those of the business, and that they’ll be able to fulfill their purpose.
There are many companies that don’t realise this. So, on their first day, a new employee is welcomed with a 6-hour health and safety induction presentation, an employee number and the instruction to speak to Bob in facilities to get their access code. Not good guys, not good at all. The companies who understand the importance of culture realise that their employees want (and need) more from them and that the employees, in turn, are happy to give more than expected in return if they feel the love.
You can read more here: 10 powerful reasons you need a great company culture.
4. Employee churn is very expensive (and frustrating)
When employees are unhappy they tend to jump ship. In fact, a super scary 2018 study showed that up to 70% of US workers were actively looking for another job. Sure, that’s not directly applicable to South Africa, as such, but how sure are you that your employees are not, in fact, hanging out on Bizcommunity for a fair amount of the day, scoping out their options because they feel under-utilised, under-resourced or undervalued at present?
Aside from the fact that this ongoing job search distracts your employees from the tasks at hand, it also costs you money in the long run. When they leave, you will have to advertise their position or get a recruitment agency on board to source likely candidates. That’s step one. Next, there will be an interview process, which will take one of your key management players out of the game for a while – again, costing you money due to downtime.
Once the chosen candidate is onboard, they will need time to adjust and get up to speed, which means a slight lull in productivity; plus, they could make mistakes that may cost you some income. Oh – and your customers may be a little peeved at having to pick things up with a new contact person and decide to find another service or product provider. All in all – a huge, big UUUUGH.
Pretty compelling right?
So there you have it – improving employee satisfaction is not some nimby-pimby, new-age, sage-burning, hippy-dippy trend, it’s good for business. As in, it will quite literally increase the amount of actual Rands your company brings in because satisfied employees excel at their jobs; your customers can tell if someone is having a bad time at work; unhappy employees limit your future recruitment potential, Vibe is a thing, and employee churn is a financial drain like you would not believe.
Looking for ways to engage your workforce and boost employee satisfaction? Give bountiXP a go. The first 14 days are on us.
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