Employee Morale.

We recently blogged about unique perks offered by companies in our post titled 10 Perks to Keep Your Employees Happy. Why the big emphasis on employee morale? Because recent studies indicate that happy employees are 12-20% more productive in the workplace than their neutral or unhappy counterparts.

What the last blog did not cover are some of the basic employee desires that organizations should strive to achieve to ensure employees are fundamentally happy. Most of these seem obvious, but have you stopped to think about whether your company purposefully delivers these coveted attributes in the workplace?

In general, people want to be:

1. Fairly compensated
   Money isn’t everything; however, employees need to believe they are being paid a fair wage for the job they are performing.
2. Valued contributors
   Your employees aspire to contribute meaningful work and be acknowledged that what they do makes a difference. Ensure employees realize how their specific responsibilities contribute to the bigger picture and ultimate success of your organization.
3. Encouraged to maintain work-life balance
   Here’s where many organizations fail. Most state they support work-life balance, but employees want their employers to walk the talk. Encourage them to use their vacation, limit work required to be performed after hours and ensure they feel okay about taking time off for family activities in accordance with your policies. Lead by example. Do you and your leadership team take time for yourselves?
4. Asked their opinion and encouraged to provide constructive feedback
   Employees want to know that their voice will be heard and their opinions considered. Let them know where to turn with creative ideas or concerns. Regularly seek feedback from all levels of the company.
5. Compatible and comfortable with their work culture
   Employees that fit into their company culture are more apt to thrive in their role. Pay special attention to the culture you strive to maintain and incorporate interviewing tactics that help to identify compatible matches within the hiring process.

Not sure your organization would score a 100% when rated in these categories? Do not worry!  Tandem HR, a Chicago area Professional Employer Organization (PEO), assists hundreds of small and mid-sized businesses in creating an exceptional workplace environment. They also help clients save time and money while growing their business by taking on the administrative tasks associated with human resources, benefits, payroll, tax administration, regulatory compliance and risk management.

For more information on Tandem HR or PEOs, visit TandemHR.com or call 630.928.0510.