How to Improve Employee Satisfaction Rates Today

Editor's Note: Take a look at our featured best practice, HR Strategy: Job Leveling (26-slide PowerPoint presentation). Job Leveling is a disciplined approach to gauge the value of work for individual positions across the organization. It entails ascertaining the nature of work done by each position, authority levels, and the effect of each job on business results. Jobs that are configured inadequately bread [read more]

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Employees are the lifeblood of any successful company and as a business owner, it is vital you are able to appreciate your staff as one of your most valuable assets. Employee satisfaction is a very valuable business metric, as it can affect everything from internal productivity rates to customer loyalty. It can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to improving employee satisfaction rates in your business as it can seem like an elusive construct. This guide is here to help you learn some of the best techniques you can use within a holistic approach to improving employee satisfaction rates in your business today.

1. Create a Culture of Open Communication

When employees do not feel heard, or like they able are to speak their minds at work, this can have a big impact on satisfaction rates. You will need to create a culture of open communication to ensure that all staff feel able to share their concerns and ideas. Not only will creating a culture of open communication improve employee satisfaction rates but it can also have a big impact on efficiency rates, too. This is because when a culture of open communication is fostered staff are more likely to alter the management of a potential problem before it is able to fully take hold.

2. Pay Staff on Time

Regularly paying staff late can have a big impact, not only on employee satisfaction rates but on worker well being, too. Studies have found that staff who are worried about when they will receive their paycheck are less able to work efficiently and are much more likely to have a negative perception about their employing organization. If you have issues paying staff on time then you should consider using a bill pay app to resolve these problems simply and easily.

3. Track Employee Engagement

Employee engagement and employee satisfaction are inextricably linked. This is because an engaged employee is one who feels engaged in and enthusiastic about their work. An engaged employee is therefore much more likely to go above and beyond to further the interests of the organization they are working for. You can use employee engagement software to track existing levels of engagement in your organization and discover the best ways to improve your existing engagement rates.

4. Reward Good Work

It is important that you have a system in place in which you are able to ensure that you are providing adequate praise for work well done. Studies have found that when an employee does not feel recognized for the work they have done they are more likely to experience lower satisfaction rates and reduced worker morale. You should personalize praise and feedback to ensure all of your employees are able to get the recognition they need to excel in your place of work.

To ensure you are able to get the most out of your employees, to attract the top talent, and to foster positive, long-term relationships with your customers you need to foster employee satisfaction. While it might seem like a difficult task at first, improving employee satisfaction in your organization is very achievable.

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The purpose of Human Resources (HR) is to ensure our organization achieves success through our people. Without the right people in place—at all levels of the organization—we will never be able to execute our Strategy effectively.

This begs the question: Does your organization view HR as a support function or a strategic one? Research shows leading organizations leverage HR as a strategic function, one that both supports and drives the organization's Strategy. In fact, having strong HRM capabilities is a source of Competitive Advantage.

This has never been more true than right now in the Digital Age, as organizations must compete for specialized talent to drive forward their Digital Transformation Strategies. Beyond just hiring and selection, HR also plays the critical role in retaining talent—by keeping people engaged, motivated, and happy.

Learn about our Human Resource Management (HRM) Best Practice Frameworks here.