An unhappy worker is an unproductive one. When an employee is disengaged from his or her work, it causes productivity to drop, it wastes company resources and it creates a toxic work environment that no one wants to be part of.

As the job market moves toward a global workforce, job seekers are presented with more options, meaning that employers need to work a little harder to retain their employees. In effect, many are asking, “What makes a job great?” Is it your co-workers? Your boss? The pay? Turns out, there are several specific top aspects that current job searchers are looking for in a working environment, although some of these traits just might surprise you.

A Secure Workplace

When workers mention “security,” they are referring to two different kinds. The world we live in is full of dangers, both online and in reality. Security breaches at major corporations employing thousands of people have become almost commonplace. Employees want to know that their personal data will be secured by the company that has hired them and that retains their sensitive information. Employees like to see that their employer has taken cyber security steps to prevent possible compromise of data

Additionally, employees want to know that they themselves are safe. Recent events have shown that the wrong person entering a place of business can result in tragedy. Employers that utilize workplace surveillance are able to detect when visitors arrive and improve office security with features like 4K Nocturnal security systems.

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Transparency

Most workers have a specific job with specific responsibilities in a single specific department. We don’t often get to see the big picture of the organization. In fact, in a survey of 40,000 employed individuals, nearly 60 percent were not aware of the mission and values of the companies for which they worked. Transparency refers to being clear with your employees about the goals of and the current state of the company.

Emphasizing the mission and culture of a workplace helps employees better understand and identify with their workplace and better understand their roles within the organization. Telling someone that he or she must complete the TP reports before 5 o’clock today or else they will receive a write-up is not as effective as explaining to that employee that if the TP reports are not finished today, Cheryl in Marketing won’t be able to complete the new ad and send it off to the publisher before deadline. When employees understand their role in the workplace, and are made to feel like that role is important, they are more likely to take pride in that work and willingly cooperate. Essentially, transparency comes down to trust. Secrecy about changes in the company like layoffs or consolidations, can sometimes result in panic and resentment and an environment of mistrust is exactly what employees are not looking for today.

Use of Abilities & Skills

The Society for Human Resource Management’s 2017 Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement report found that when workers are able to utilize their personal strengths, their job satisfaction increases. So naturally, being able to use one’s abilities and skills, whether that be specific training or a college education, is a big contributing factor if many employees’ ideal workplace.

When a boss assigns their employee challenges that are especially suited to that employee’s individual strengths, the employee experiences a heightened degree of satisfaction in his or her work and in the end, feels appreciated.

Impact

One might expect to find pay and compensation or benefits package on the list of most desired workplace traits; however, modern workers are looking for a little more depth. Of course, money is important, but the desire to make a difference has a strong pull on employees. They want to feel that what they are doing matters.

An ideal workplace involves helping others in some way. This could be through direct contact with customers or by designing a service or product that can improve the lives of people. Employees want their work to mean something and this sense of purposefulness can be derived from the camaraderie amongst co-workers or a sense of community at work, a sense that we are all on the same side.

All in all, a big paycheck can definitely pull workers in, but keeping them there means creating a positive work environment, and that means offering more than just health benefits. The modern worker wants to feel safe in their place of work, they want transparency between staff and management, they want to be challenged in order to display their talents and they want to make a difference in the world around them. Achieving an ideal workplace isn’t just about making employees happy, it is about understanding that a happy employee is a productive one.

Do you need help growing your business? Click here to check out our website design and marketing packages. We can help you achieve your business goals and in the process leave your competition shaken and wondering, “Now, what do we do?”

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This article is published by Will Sherwood | The Sherwood Group |Website Design | Graphic Design | Marketing Communications: The Sherwood Group has over 30 years of experience working with all sorts of companies, small and large. Our clients range from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 firms, in nearly every business sector, from across the street to around the world (and yes, even Europe, China, and South America). Our goal is to create advertising,  graphic design, website design, and marketing communication that still looks fresh and relevant 10-15 years later. Our mission is to stir your imagination and leave your competition shaken and wondering,  Now what do we do?”  We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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