8 Things Your Employees Secretly Want

According to a survey conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, one in every four UK employees is looking to leave their job (Fleming P, 2016). Employee retention is extremely important for an organization to develop and progress. Studies show that almost 78% of successful business leaders feel employee retention is absolutely urgent and important for your company to prosper (Hogan M, 2015).

In such situations it’s essential for companies to understand what their employees want and expect in order to ensure employee engagement in the organisation. The following is a list of things your employees secretly want, which companies can consider including in their organisation.

1. An updated workspace. Trends keep changing and most people prefer making use of newer and fancier technology, furniture, etc. It’s important for offices to make sure their workspace is constantly upgraded to include the latest trends.
2. Flexibility in the workplace. Freedom and flexibility in the workplace encourages employees to think creatively and be more productive. Flexibility also leads to happier and much more satisfied employees (Lipman V, 2016).
3. Personal space such as clothes lockers. Employees prefer lockers where they can store their personal belongings safely, without the risk of them being stolen or lost. Also, having a dedicated space for storing personal belongings can help staff be more organised and tidy. Companies can make use of various types of lockers, which can help employees securely store their belongings, such as mesh lockers.
4. Recognition and appreciation. Recognition and appreciation are considered as one of the most important motivating factors for an employee. Appreciating an employee’s efforts encourages and motivates him or her to perform better and be more productive.
5. Ergonomic work environment. Office employees spend most of their office time sitting; this has an extremely negative impact on the health of an employee. By investing in ergonomic furniture, employees have a much healthier and comfortable environment to work in.
6. A workout space. Britons spend a staggering 12 years of their lifetime working (Naish J, 2017). Due to this, exercise often gets neglected, leading to various health problems. Offices should include gym facilities in their organisation that encourages employees to stay fit. Investing in gym equipment and school lockers for storing gym clothes can do great wonders for employees, who wish they could exercise more frequently.
7. Fair compensation. Although this is not the most prioritised on employee’s list, with platforms such as Glassdoor and PayScale employees know what they are worth. Providing competitive compensation helps to keep staff motivated and loyal.
8. Learning opportunities. Human beings have a curious nature and performing the same tasks regularly can make an employee feel stuck in a stagnant job. It is important for companies to make sure employees learn new things and are constantly challenged to perform better.

Keeping employees happy is not a very complicated process. If done the right way, companies can improve their employee retention with simple measures such as showing appreciation for staff, buying lockers and ergonomic furniture and providing learning opportunities.

Always remember “customers will never love a company until the employees love it first” - Simon Sinek.