About 70% of workers are unhappy with their job. In the Philippines, surveys reveal that in 2017, job satisfaction was at 4.97 on a 10-point scale. This number matters, because your employees are the lifeblood of your organization. They are at the heart of everything – from day-to-day activities, operations, strategizing, fighting struggles in the marketplace, representing your brand, and more.

It’s no secret that if your employees perform well, your business will do well. But often, organizations forget the importance of employee satisfaction or don’t understand what the problem is.

One of the ways to figure this out is through surveys. But before that, you need to understand WHY they're important before you can address how to work on it. So, let’s break it down.

Why employee satisfaction is important

Satisfaction is important to employees’ lifecycle and your company’s growth. A happy employee is a retained employee. Organizations need to hold on to high-performing employees for long-term growth and success.

It's true that you can hire new individuals to replace the ones you’ve lost, but nothing beats the importance of experienced professionals. They are already familiar with the company’s culture, how it operates, and the goals for the future. These employees are key individuals who will guide the new employees and align them with the culture and vision of the company.

Happy employees are also more loyal and hardworking. They are more likely willing to go the extra mile to reach their goals. In contrast, unhappy employees will express their dissatisfaction. Where? Usually, externally. This can create a negative brand image and will make it more difficult for you to find new candidates.

Satisfaction through surveys

A popular tool among HR personnel is the employee satisfaction survey. The only way to know how satisfied your employees are is through communication. One way to communicate or receive feedback is through surveys.

Feedback is key – it is a two-way street. You need to know how well the organization is treating your employees just as much as your employees need to know how well they are doing in their fields.

Often, organizations only focus on performance evaluation of employees while forgetting to give their employees an open line of communication to express how the organization is treating them. Communication is vital because it helps people feel valued and allows them to feel like their opinions matter.

Questions you can ask

• Do you enjoy company culture?
  The things that increase employee satisfaction are the intangibles - interpersonal relationships, work environment, culture, etc.
• What activities can we add to make the workplace more enjoyable?
  Getting direct answers on what your employees want can help you create a roadmap of activities to improve employee satisfaction.
• Do you find your work meaningful?
  Today’s workforce has mentioned the importance of finding work meaningful. If they don’t find it meaningful, they are less likely to feel engaged.
• Does our company provide adequate opportunity for learning and development?
  Learning and development are goals of many employees and without opportunities to learn or develop their skills, your employees may start to feel disengaged.
• Does our company provide adequate opportunities for growth and career advancement?
  Good career advancement and opportunities for promotion can dramatically improve employee satisfaction.
• Do you feel valued for your contributions? Why or why not?
  Knowing whether your employees feel valued and recognized can help you figure out what specific aspects need improvement.

You can ask more questions depending on your organization and your needs. But here are some other examples of questions you can ask:

• Does our company provide the tools you need to work effectively?
• Do your superiors give you a clear channel of communication?
• Is work distributed evenly?
• Do managers value feedback?
• Does your team provide support where you need it?
• Do you receive constructive criticism from your manager?
• Does the environment at work create a balance between work life and personal life?

Or you can flat out ask, are you satisfied with your job overall?

While there are many factors that affect employee satisfaction, one of the quickest tools you can use to figure out the satisfaction level of your employees is through surveys. If it’s something you haven’t tried, you need to put it on the top of your next to-do list. Remember, successful companies are built by happy employees!

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

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