As 2016 comes to end, now could be the perfect time to pay extra attention to your employees’ Christmas wish list. Independent research among 1,004 Australian office workers by specialised recruiter Robert Half reveals financial incentives, workplace flexibility and recognition are at the top of the list for workplace satisfaction.
When asked about their wish list, almost eight in 10 (78 percent) Australian office workers want a salary increase. Apart from financial incentives, almost half (42 percent) say flexible working arrangements, and more than a quarter (27 percent) refer to a promotion as well as the possibility to work from home, respectively.
In an encouraging sign that Australian employers care about their staff, almost two in three (61 percent) office workers feel their employer is concerned about their overall level of job satisfaction.
David Jones, Senior Managing Director of Robert Half Asia Pacific said: “While employee engagement should be at the top of the business agenda throughout the year, the upcoming summer holidays are the perfect opportunity to spend some additional time assessing your employees’ wishes. Employers who do not invest enough in their staff’s job satisfaction will likely have a less engaged and even less productive workforce, as well as the added threat of a high turnover rate.”
Australian office workers were asked: “What are the top things you wish you could get from your employer to make you more satisfied in your role?”
| Salary increase | 78% | Training opportunities | 17% |
| Flexible work arrangements | 42% | A new job at current company | 14% |
| The possibility to work from home | 27% | Business travel opportunities (including secondment) | 13% |
| Promotion | 27% | Less responsibilities | 13% |
| More non-financial benefits | 23% | A new boss/manager | 12% |
| More or new responsibilities | 19% | New colleagues | 10% |
Source: Independent survey commissioned by Robert Half among 1,004 Australian office workers
“By understanding the primary motivating factors for employees, companies can adapt their policies to cater to their needs, and not necessarily always through financial incentives. For organisations that don’t have the capacity to boost salaries, a range of non-financial incentives such as giving the option to work from home or more flexible working hours can also significantly boost employee engagement.”
While job satisfaction brings many advantages for the individual employee, business operations will benefit as well. Almost half (42 percent) of office workers think the biggest advantage of staff satisfaction is increased productivity and almost one-third (28 percent) believe it will increase staff motivation.
“There’s no doubt that investing in staff satisfaction will bring in measurable results for a company. Not only that, but organisations will gain reputation for being a great place to work.”
“End of the year is a great time to remind employees just how much their contributions are appreciated by the business, to reward their hard work and to recognise how their work is positively impacting the company’s business results,” David Jones concluded.
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