In February, the McGregor Foundation hosted a seminar for local businesses that dealt with finding and retaining top talent. We talk so often about what employers should be looking for, but in order to retain talent, you have to be able to determine what exactly it is that they want from a position and job.
It used to be all about pay and benefits, but today’s employee, especially if they belong to the millennial generation, is looking for some other attributes when determining the value of a position. Here are some top things employees are looking for from a job or a company they are working for:
Flexibility
Employees want to be able to make some decisions regarding scheduling and the ability to work from home when applicable. Flexibility can reduce stress and increase mental well-being, and that can be a big factor in whether or not top employees want to stick with your company.
Purpose
Going to work to earn a paycheck to buy groceries doesn’t motivate employees any longer. They want something more. Employees want to know that what they do on a daily basis serves a greater purpose. Recognition programs and simple expressions of gratitude can go a long way towards making an employee feel like they are doing more than clocking in and clocking out.
Balance
Employees no longer view their job as the most important role they play. They want to be able to balance work with family, travel, entertainment, and other interests. If time away from work is being compromised, it can lead to stress in the workplace, and that can cause the employee to get a “wandering eye.” If you have an employee in your space that has outside interests, take interest in what they value. Accommodate when possible and let them know that you understand that work isn’t always the top priority in someone’s life.
Positivity
Nothing adds stress to a work environment like negativity. It can spread quickly throughout an organization and make coming to work a chore for everybody. A truly special talent can overcome the negative and even turn it into a positive, but most employees struggle to overcome a negative environment. Remove negative influences before they have a chance to spread, and if that negative influence is you, find a way to change.
Employees today want different things than they used to, but the good news is that few of these things cost money. They are cultural changes and can be achieved through some minor adjustments in attitude and thinking. Keep up with our News page to continue to learn more about becoming the workplace your employees will remain loyal to!
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