In the olden days, company bosses wouldn’t think all that much about the needs and desires of their employees. It was all about what the employer wanted and how the employees could aid the business. But there’s been a pretty significant shift in recent years. Employers have begun to recognize that ensuring that their team of staff is happy and fulfilled in their work can bring plenty of benefits. It increases productivity and helps to reduce staff turnover.

So what do your employees really want? We take a look at a few things below. 

Clear Roles

You might have a sense of what you want your workers to do, but if you’re not communicating that message, then how are they supposed to know?

While there should always be an element of “self-starter” about your employees, you’ll find that everything runs much more smoothly if you’re clearly defining their roles and your expectations.

It’s all about communication, essentially.

This can also keep one of the staff’s biggest pet peeves at bay: doing more than expected.

Some employees find that they signed up for the role thinking that they were going to do one thing, but then end up doing things beyond that rubric. 

A Sense of Autonomy

There are certain freedoms you relinquish when you accept a job.

You know that you’ll have to dedicate a significant portion of your day to the company that hired you, you’ll have to do what they say, and so on. But it’s important to remember that there are degrees of control — and that your staff won’t like it if you’re trying to control every aspect of their life.

You can significantly boost well-being at the workplace by giving your staff more freedom, such as what time they come in and where they work (such as working from home). Also, it’s always best to avoid micromanaging! 

Feeling Valued

It doesn’t matter whether an employee inherently loves their work or not: everyone wants to feel valued. Staff are more likely to have a negative impression of the company that they work for if they don’t feel like they’re valued! So make sure that they know.

There are numerous ways to do this. The most obvious method is to pay them a fair salary. It’s also worthwhile looking for unique gifts for employees from time to time. It’s a gesture that’ll show your employees that you care. 

A Pleasant Work Environment 

It’s not just important to an employee what work they’re doing, but also where they’re doing it. People are much happier when they’re working in a pleasant environment.

So take a look at your office: are there ways you can make things more enjoyable?

The two best methods are to let in more natural light and to add plants. A splash of color on the walls could also really help set things off nicely. It’s also recommended to hire a cleaner to keep things in tip-top condition (you shouldn’t ask your staff to clean up the office). 

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