Job satisfaction makes a big difference in employee productivity and employee retention. You might think once you hire an employee your work is over, but you have to continue to make your employee’s job satisfaction a priority.

What is job satisfaction?

Job satisfaction is defined as “a feeling of fulfillment or enjoyment that a person derives from their job.” This means that employees aren’t just completing their work, but are happy and fulfilled by their job.

You might think job satisfaction isn’t that important, there are so many other things that you should focus on when it comes to employees. Job satisfaction should be a priority. People who are happy at their jobs are 12% more productive. Productivity, employee retention, and company culture are all affected by job satisfaction. If you actively work on job satisfaction in your workplace it will positively affect almost every aspect of your business.

How can I increase job satisfaction?

Job satisfaction might seem nebulous but you need concrete policies to bring it to fruition. Bagel Tuesdays aren’t enough.

Clear Career Path

It’s important to offer a clear career path to employees. Opportunities for growth give people something to work for. This isn’t limited to promotions and pay raises. Learning and mentoring opportunities can help an employee progress. This investment in your employees will pay you tremendous dividends.

Frequent Feedback

Employees need feedback. 65 percent of employees say they want more feedback. If you don’t have monthly one on one meetings to touch base with your employees, this is an easy policy to put in place. This feedback will allow you and your employees to address any concerns or challenges they might be facing.

Recognize Good Work

Your employees want recognition for their work. This can be as simple or elaborate as makes sense for your workplace. And it should be more than “Good job on that project.” If employees know what specific ways their work makes a difference on their team and company, praise will have much more impact.

Foster a Learning Environment

No employee wants to stay stagnant in their work. Continuing education is vital to the success of your business and employee happiness. There are a few ways to go about this. You can organize specific classes or seminars or you can give each employee a stipend to spend as they see fit.

Physical and Mental Well-being

Your employee’s physical and mental well-being is important. If these suffer then their work and the bottom line will suffer too. Not every business will be able to offer perks like an on-site gym, but sick days and vacation time are important. Remember, time off should be true time off, no checking email.
Does your company have a mental health policy? If not, it’s time to put one in place. More and more studies are showing that the mental health of employees directly affects productivity and happiness. This doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. Company outings, a mindfulness seminar or just regular check-ins can be a way to show you care about the mental health of your employees.

Empower Employees

Do your employees have autonomy and feel empowered? Hopefully you trust your employees, otherwise you wouldn’t have hired them. Give your employees the freedom to take ownership of their work. They do better work and are happier if they’re not micromanaged.

Family Friendly

Is your business family friendly? What is your parental leave policy? Do you offer child care options or flexible hours for working parents? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor of the nation’s 82.5 million families, 80.8 percent have at least one employed member, so odds are a parent or caregiver works for you. If you don’t have policies in place that help working parents that should be addressed.

Job Satisfaction Survey

If you’re not sure where to start, survey your employees. You can see what specific areas need the most attention. You might get some concrete suggestions as well. Regular surveys can be a benefit as well. The needs of your employees will change over time so you should be flexible.

Job satisfaction is important. There’s not a one size fits all answer, you have to find out what works for your business and your staff. If you take the time to enhance job satisfaction at your workplace you will improve employee morale and retention, which will help your business succeed.