Factors Affecting Employee Satisfaction, and How to Track Them

To retain employees, you must make sure they are satisfied.  This means making sure their work environment is positive and they have everything they need to do their jobs effectively.  If employers take the time to improve employee satisfaction, their business benefits because satisfied employees are more motivated, productive, easier to communicate with and in tune to the needs of the company.  That said, it’s important to make sure employees are doing their part for the company and not taking their job or your company for granted.  To achieve optimal employee satisfaction, there must be a give and take relationship between employees and the employer.  Here are some common factors affecting employee satisfaction:

4 Factors Affecting Employee Satisfaction

1)  Proper onboarding

Supervisors and managers should make sure employees are aware of the main objectives of their job from the beginning.  A proper onboarding process sets the stage for employee satisfaction down the road.  Make sure thorough training is conducted, important details such as company benefits and rules are communicated to employees in the beginning, and that you encourage new employees to get to know their supervisors and co-workers.

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2)  Respectful Work Environment

One of the important factors affecting employee satisfaction is whether they feel safe and respected in their work environment.  Conduct regular seminars or workshops to educate employees on what behaviors are frowned upon in the workplace.  Arrange team-building activities so employees are more productive and comfortable working together on group projects.  Also, arrange company outings so your staff can get to know each other in a more informal setting outside of their work environment.

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3)  Opportunity for Advancement

If your employees are working towards something and continuing to grow, they are likely to be more satisfied and motivated.  One of the factors affecting employee satisfaction is having the opportunity to earn promotions that include corresponding salary increases.  Consider offering benefits such as tuition reimbursement for employees to take courses to learn new skills and earn advanced degrees.  Also, employers should continue training employees after they are onboarded.  Provide the resources they need to develop new skills and hone existing ones on a regular basis.

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4)  Comprehensive Benefits

If you offer your employees benefits that make their lives easier, they are likely to be more satisfied on the job.  Make sure your health insurance coverage meets their needs and doesn’t leave them with healthcare costs so high they avoid addressing health issues.  Healthcare reimbursement arrangements are a great option for insurance coverage that has high deductibles.  Also, think about other perks you can offer to offset certain stressors in the day-to-day lives of your employees.  This includes reimbursement for commuter expenses, employee wellness programs that encourage a healthy lifestyle, work flexibility and a generous amount of paid time off so employees can relax and recharge.

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How Do You Keep Track of Employee Satisfaction?

A useful way to gauge how satisfied your employees are and find out the factors affecting employee satisfaction at your company is to conduct anonymous employee satisfaction surveys on a periodic basis.  In the surveys, ask open ended questions addressing issues such as teamwork, respect, financial rewards, work environment, and support and direction from supervisors.  When employees quit their jobs, it may also be worth conducting exit interviews to get a better understanding of what part of the job they were unsatisfied with.  Use the insights you get from the surveys and interviews to make adjustments and work towards higher levels of employee satisfaction, motivation and retention in the future.