The 8 Thing Employees Want
I received an email newsletter from a website that specializes in part-time job listings. No idea how I came to be on their list, though I think it gets sent to the generic email address for my work. They had a rather interesting list of the top 8 things employees want out of their jobs. The surprising thing is that money is nowhere on the list. No clue where this data comes from (no cites are provided), but it made an interesting read and I think most of the list has merit (though possibly not for any of my artisan friends). Your thoughts?
1. Appreciation: Praise heads the list for many workers, and it doesn't cost the employer anything to provide. A sincere thank you or a short note can mean a great deal.
2. Respect: Again, there is no cost yet the paycheck is great. Respect plays out in letting people know that their work is appreciated, in treating them like adults, and in being fair in your dealings with them.
3. Trust: Trust is the action side of respect. People need guidance, but they need to know that their boss trusts them to be able to get a job down on their own.
4. Individual Growth: Today's workers - especially the Gen Y group - want training, want to take on new challenges, and want to advance based on their new abilities. Giving a raise without increasing responsibilities could actually backfire. As one expert says, if you give more money to an unhappy employee, you end up with a wealthier unhappy employee.
5. Good Boss: People don't leave companies; they leave bosses. In a recent Robert Half survey, 1,000 Gen Y workers ranked "working with a manager I can respect and learn from" as the most important aspect of their work environment.
6. Compatible Co-workers: Working with people you enjoy is also very important. Spending the day - every day - with people you don't like does not make for a productive workplace.
7. Compatible Culture: Employees want a work environment that first their needs. That could mean hard-driving, high-paying, or it could mean high-flexibility and significant attention to work/life balance.
8. A Sense of Purpose: People want to know that they are contributing to something worthwhile. They need to know that the organization's core purpose is and what it is trying to achieve. And then they need to know how their particular job fits into the whole.
1. Appreciation: Praise heads the list for many workers, and it doesn't cost the employer anything to provide. A sincere thank you or a short note can mean a great deal.
2. Respect: Again, there is no cost yet the paycheck is great. Respect plays out in letting people know that their work is appreciated, in treating them like adults, and in being fair in your dealings with them.
3. Trust: Trust is the action side of respect. People need guidance, but they need to know that their boss trusts them to be able to get a job down on their own.
4. Individual Growth: Today's workers - especially the Gen Y group - want training, want to take on new challenges, and want to advance based on their new abilities. Giving a raise without increasing responsibilities could actually backfire. As one expert says, if you give more money to an unhappy employee, you end up with a wealthier unhappy employee.
5. Good Boss: People don't leave companies; they leave bosses. In a recent Robert Half survey, 1,000 Gen Y workers ranked "working with a manager I can respect and learn from" as the most important aspect of their work environment.
6. Compatible Co-workers: Working with people you enjoy is also very important. Spending the day - every day - with people you don't like does not make for a productive workplace.
7. Compatible Culture: Employees want a work environment that first their needs. That could mean hard-driving, high-paying, or it could mean high-flexibility and significant attention to work/life balance.
8. A Sense of Purpose: People want to know that they are contributing to something worthwhile. They need to know that the organization's core purpose is and what it is trying to achieve. And then they need to know how their particular job fits into the whole.