Never has employee satisfaction played such an important role in work-life as it does today. With skilled workers scarce, employee satisfaction is the key to retaining talented employees within a company. This is why employees prioritize job satisfaction above everything else. But what actually makes a satisfied employee? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the meaning behind employee satisfaction and what measures can be taken to increase it.
What is employee satisfaction?
Employee satisfaction refers to an employee’s attitude towards the company in which they are employed. This includes how they identify with the product or service, the corporate culture, their role and their relationship with the team and management.
In an ideal world employee expectations will align with reality, because this creates employee satisfaction. In concrete terms, this means employees are happy to go to work, feel comfortable at their workplace, enjoy what they do, enjoy working with their colleagues and go home feeling satisfied. This is an ideal situation for both the employer and employee, and shows the employee they are a valuable addition to the company.
If, on the other hand, there’s a big discrepancy between expectations and reality, employee satisfaction will be low.
Why is employee satisfaction essential?
Employers are experiencing a war for talent. Employees are spoiled for choice and constantly receive new job offers from recruiters, which means employee satisfaction is particularly important.
Generations Y and Z are turning the world of work upside down. For them, job security and a good salary alone are no longer enough. Instead, job satisfaction is determined by flexibility, recognition and space to achieve their personal goals.
This is a major challenge for employers. However, companies that recognise the importance of employee satisfaction will create new and exciting opportunities within their culture.
How can employee satisfaction be measured?
To find out how high employee satisfaction is in your company and which factors your team considers particularly important, conduct a survey.
There are two methods for this – a direct survey with a personal conversation or an anonymous survey via questionnaire.
Even though personal interviews are more detailed, employees might be reluctant to tell the truth and may gloss a situation over. As a result, anonymous questionnaires are a more realistic assessment of employee satisfaction.
As part of the survey, find out what kind of recognition will boost employee satisfaction. In other words, find out what employees want from you as an employer to increase their motivation and loyalty to the company.
What factors increase employee satisfaction?
One thing is clear: a fair salary, appropriate workload, a secure contractual relationship and an open corporate culture are essential for high employee satisfaction. But this alone is not enough these days. A positive work atmosphere, respectful and honest communication, and appreciation from the employer plays a decisive role.
To express appreciation and reward employees, more and more companies are offering employee benefits on top of a salary. The list of possible employee benefits is long. It includes location flexibility, childcare, the provision of technical equipment, and health and fitness.
The latter in particular is becoming increasingly popular. Health-promoting measures significantly increase employee satisfaction while ensuring improved employee health. This benefits companies considerably by reducing the number of days absent due to illness.
Health-promoting measures for greater satisfaction and loyalty
There are a great many ways to promote health in the workplace. Most can be assigned to one of the following four fields of action:
Exercise: Sufficient exercise is indispensable for our health. Nevertheless, working people spend most of the day sitting down. As a result, it’s important to incentivise more movement in everyday life. In this context, company fitness is a popular solution, as it benefits both employees and the company.
Nutrition: Although a fruit basket is one of the best-known nutrition-promoting measures, it’s no longer enough. To help employees eat healthily and increase employee satisfaction, companies can provide nutritional counseling, a healthy menu in the canteen or a smart fridge with fresh, balanced lunches available at the touch of a button.
Stress management: Dealing with stress and preventing mental illness are becoming the focus of health-promoting measures. In this context, meditation apps or access to coaching and psychological counseling are recommended.
Workplace design: This includes providing an ergonomic workplace. An ergonomic workplace isn’t just about the work equipment provided, but also its correct use – i.e. the optimization of work processes.
Satisfied employees through company fitness
Corporate fitness is a simple solution to effectively increase employee satisfaction. Not only does employee fitness have a positive impact on the physical and mental health of employees, but it shows the team that the company cares about their well-being.
Invest in your employees now and choose a corporate fitness membership with Urban Sports Club. With just one membership, your employees can take advantage of the most flexible and comprehensive sports program in Germany. This way, you’ll support their health and offer a great corporate benefit to retain your existing team and attract new talent.
