What incentives do employees actually want? Offering practical incentives to employees is obviously good practice and will help to attract and retain staff however it has been increasingly found that appreciation, recognition and the sometimes more invisible incentives, are equally, if not more important to employees. As an employer, by all means offer good practical incentives but also be aware of advertising those other incentives too.
Recognition
Employees want to be recognised for who they are and the job they do. No amount of money or incentives will compensate for feeling like a small cog in a big wheel!
Being Kept in the Loop
A common complaint and frustration for employees is feeling out of the loop and being the last to know about issues that affect them and their job. Employees want to know that they will be kept informed and feel valued and appreciate being kept in the loop. It is not enough to think that they will find out through the grapevine or that
Flexibility
The option for flexible working and or/ telecommuting for employees is always a good incentive for employees. Having control over your own time is a major plus and can help you do your job better as you have more control over fulfilling your obligations outside work. Giving workers these options
Everyone has issues that arise that may affect their job at times and one of the best things to know is that your boss will understand and do their best to accommodate you to the best of their ability if necessary.
Job Security
Temporary contracts can work well for employers and employees in some instances but in the long term, if an employee is still with you job security will be important for them.
Good Wages
Employees want good will and flexibility, but it doesn’t mean they don’t want good wages too. Being paid a good, fair wage is an important incentive and one that is vital to attract and retain good staff.
Interesting Work
When you have to do a job day in and day out, it needs to hold a certain amount of interest. If the work isn’t that interesting, there are sometimes ways that it can be spiced up. A bit of healthy competition or a reward for good work can help, as can mixing roles up so that there is more variety for the workers.
Training
Investing in training for staff helps them to feel valued and can dramatically increase their enjoyment and ability at work and help them to stay in the role longer.
Bio: Jen Smith is a Life Coach, Mentor & Writer. She has tried many career paths herself and now helps people achieve their goals and dreams.
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