8 Things Your Employees Really Want at Work

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Hiring employees is almost never an easy process. You need to find candidates that fulfill your criteria, have knowledge and experience in the field, and agree with your company vision. Even then, they simply might not fit into your company.

However, while you have high expectations of them, it’s also important that you understand that your potential employees are judging you too during the hiring process. They want to know the benefits you provide your employees with and whether they can truly be happy in your employ.

To be able to attract and retain top talent, you need to put some work into your company culture and ensure your current employees are satisfied with their job. A satisfied workforce plays a big factor when it comes to being able to catch the attention of new quality employees. Here are some things that your workers expect of you.

Give them clear expectations

Something you want to think about from the moment you hire someone is making your intentions clear. For starters, tell each and every employee what is expected of them. Specifying what job they will be doing, where their office or cubicle is, who they can refer to for assistance, by when you need a task done, and so on will help everyone know their place. You want to go through their roles, objectives, and responsibilities a few times a year to ensure every single team member is in the loop. Not knowing or understanding what needs to be done can lead to confusion, mistakes, and plenty of time lost while the opposite can result in a more successful business and more confident workers.

Show them respect

Every single person wants to feel respected in the workplace. Just like you expect respect from your staff, you should do the same for them. If you’re unsure about how you can show respect to your employees, it can be quite simple. For instance, stop micromanaging their every move but allow them autonomy in order to properly do the job you hired them for. In case you notice a mistake in their work, you want to address it in a professional manner and provide details about what needs to be fixed.

Provide them with useful feedback

Feedback is vital for a successful working relationship. Not only will it help your company improve but it will also show your staff that you care about them and their career. Whether it’s bad or good feedback, every employee will appreciate knowing how you feel about their work. If you notice that they are consistently doing something wrong, you want to correct them on time so that they can course-correct and avoid a bigger problem down the line. On the other hand, if they’re going great, compliment them on a job well done. You can schedule regular performance reviews during which you can give them both positive and not-so-positive feedback.

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Allow them to grow

While many employees will not ask for it directly, they do appreciate employers who are willing to let them grow by providing them with various self-improvement opportunities. From taking foreign language classes to expanding their work-related skills, by investing in their further education, you are showing your employees that you are willing to allow them to grow on the job. It can also mean that you are preparing them for a promotion or a bigger role within the company. What is more, if the team members believe that you are putting time and effort into expanding their knowledge, they will become more loyal and productive because they can see themselves in your employ for the foreseeable future.

Mark special events

Unless you notice that an employee is really introverted and doesn’t enjoy attention, you want to celebrate big events. Whether it’s their birthday, work anniversary, or the end of a big project, you can surprise your staff with gorgeous flower bouquets, a delicious cake, or a fancy dinner, among many other great things. That way, they will see how much you appreciate everything they do for the company and how grateful you are for the work they are putting in.

Establish good communication

Another thing that is vital for a thriving business and satisfied employees is proper communication. Besides making sure everyone understands their role in the company, you also have to ensure all employees have someone to turn to if they encounter an obstacle in their work. This is why it’s crucial to establish communication channels that every employee uses. While email can be used for this, some instant messaging apps might work better so look into Slack, Discord, and Skype as well. Moreover, you should not skip meetings, even if a part of your workforce works from home. There is a wide array of video chat platforms that you can use for one-on-one or group meetings.

Implement flexibility into the company culture

You should also understand how important work-life balance is to your employees. That is why you want to implement some policies that will allow them to achieve it. For example, you can introduce some flexibility into the company culture. If they work from home, allow them to set their own hours if they are able to meet all deadlines. Then, if everyone works in an office, you can let your employees have a day or two during the week when they can work remotely. Of course, do your best to meet their needs if they need to visit a doctor or their kid is sick.

Make their work meaningful

Lastly, many people like to see that they are making a difference in the world. As your employees spend hours on the job, they want to make sure it counts for something. With that in mind, you want to make their work meaningful and purposeful. Besides providing them with an opportunity to help others, you can also see how you can help them fulfill their professional dreams.

There is a common misconception among employers that employees only care about high salaries. While pay is important, satisfaction in the workplace can be achieved with many different methods so take the aforementioned into account.