Building Employee Job Satisfaction

Max Messmer

s the economy gains momentum and sonal obligations, including caring for chil- Abusinesses begin expanding once again, dren and elderly relatives. For this “sand- employers are recognizing the increasing wich generation” of employees, increased importance of retaining their top perform- control of their time enables them to balance ers. The key to keeping these valued competing demands, which can boost their employees is maintaining a high level of job morale and loyalty to the company. satisfaction. Flexible schedules can include telecom- As human resources professionals, you muting and work-from-home options, or it play an integral role in ensuring the appeal can simply mean that an employee can of your firm’s work environment. The prac- come in early and leave a little early on tices, policies, and programs that your group occasion. establishes are the foundation for efforts In addition to benefiting employees, flexi- throughout the organization to maintain high ble schedules can also be an asset for com- morale and retain staff. panies. Staggered work hours, for example, Most people do not leave their employers can extend the span of time in which for one reason alone. Many issues generally employees are available to assist customers. shape an individual’s perceptions about his As HR managers, you can play a role in pro- or her position and the company as a whole. moting these practices with senior manage- Building job satisfaction therefore requires a ment and recommending policies that allow multipronged approach. Following are strate- such scheduling. gies that are designed to improve employee Work-life balance is stressed at Vision motivation and, ultimately, retention rates. Service Plan (VSP), based in Rancho Cor- dova, California. VSP was recently ranked OFFER BALANCE the No. 10 Best Company to Work For by Fortune magazine and the No. 3 Best Place to According to a recent survey commissioned Work in Information Technology by Comput- by Robert Half International of 1,400 chief erworld magazine. “A true respect for the financial officers (CFOs), the employee bene- individuals that make up our team is one of fit workers value most is flexible schedules. the qualities I think sets VSP apart from It is no secret that workloads are rising at other employers,” said VSP’s president and many firms and that long hours often are the CEO, Roger Valine. “We support our employ- norm. At the same time, a growing number ees’ need for a healthy balance between of professionals must meet mounting per- their work and their lives.”

PROVIDE INTELLECTUAL CHALLENGE skills such as interpersonal communication, public speaking, and time management can Most people will have a variety of managers also maximize employee contributions to and assignments over the course of their your organization and give staff a greater careers, but the skills and experience they sense of fulfillment. gain over the years will remain with them. Those who are encouraged to share new AVOID MICROMANAGEMENT ideas have greater job satisfaction. In addition, the chance to accept diverse assign- The chance to take ownership of their work ments enables workers to hone their techni- is a powerful motivating factor for many peo- cal and interpersonal skills, continually ple. Managers at your firm should be encour- upgrading their knowledge base. aged to demonstrate faith in their employees’ Through management training and other abilities and allow them to come up with communication, you should counsel depart- their own solutions whenever practical. ment leaders to allow staff members to The Great Places to Work Institute, which develop different approaches to everyday produces Best Companies lists for many orga- tasks. Interesting work keeps employees nizations, reports that autonomy is a key engaged, which is the key to retention. component of satisfaction at work. As an Having opportunities for professional employee at a top-ranked firm noted: “My job development and growth is not only a central allows me the latitude to make decisions and concern of many employees, but it also bene- implement them in order to get the job done. fits employers by creating a more skilled At the end of the day, I can look back and see what I have been able to accomplish with a great feeling of satisfaction.” Interesting work keeps employees engaged, which is the key to retention. PROVIDE ONGOING FEEDBACK workforce. Ask managers at your firm to As HR leaders, you know how common it is facilitate course enrollment, conference atten- to hold annual performance appraisals; this is dance, and other industry-related activities standard at most companies. These reviews for their staff members. If your organization are valuable to managers and employees has a limited training budget, consider bring- alike. In fact, in a recent survey that our firm ing in guest speakers to talk to certain groups commissioned of 612 workers age 18 or older at brown-bag lunches. Sending a few employ- employed in professional environments, 77 ees to outside seminars and having them percent of respondents said they consider train others in what they learned can also performance reviews to be at least somewhat keep expenses in check. beneficial, with 40 percent seeing them as Do not limit training and education pro- very beneficial. grams strictly to technical topics. For Although receiving input once a year is instance, accountants need to know more useful, employees need feedback on a more than just the latest financial regulations to be regular basis to stay motivated and invested successful in their roles. Enhancing broader in their jobs. Otherwise, they may be blind-

54 Max Messmer Summer 2005 sided by negative comments when they meet compensated, you risk sending the message with their supervisors. Advise managers at that they are not valuable to your organiza- your organization to supplement formal per- tion’s success. Salary levels should be formance reviews covering long-term career reassessed on a regular basis to make sure goals with frequent meetings to discuss with they are at least on a par with salaries for staff what they are and are not doing well. similar positions in other companies. This will help employees stay on track with Stress the importance of a competitive their job requirements and professional compensation structure with senior manage- objectives year-round. ment to get their buy-in. Identify resources that will help department leaders to stay in DEVELOP CAREER PATHS Encourage managers at your firm to show their staff mem- Career-advancement opportunities are bers how they can achieve their career objectives within the another important contributor to satisfaction organization. at work. When our company recently asked 150 executives why good employees quit touch with prevailing salaries from year to their jobs, the number-one reason was lim- year. Remind them that the most talented ited opportunities for advancement. The best employees will always be in demand, so it is employees are ambitious and may not stay in ideal to pay at least a little more than your a position long if it lacks growth potential. competitors. Encourage managers at your firm to show their staff members how they can achieve OFFER ATTRACTIVE BENEFITS their career objectives within the organization. Managers should work with employees Medical coverage is usually considered a to develop customized plans for reaching basic; however, your firm’s employees might their goals and provide access to resources be asking for greater details about health such as training programs that will help them benefits than in years past. Make sure to get there. If offering promotions is not an announce clearly any coming increases in immediate option, supervisors at your com- deductibles and copays due to escalating pre- pany should consider assigning employees to miums. Make sure staff know that although projects that will prepare them to assume your firm is doing its best to offset rising greater responsibilities in the future. health-care costs for its employees, much of this is beyond your control as an employer. If PAY EMPLOYEES WELL your business has been able to keep employee health-care out-of-pocket expenses Money is not everything, but it is, of course, in check, advising managers to emphasize one of the primary reasons people work. this fact with staff can give workers another Though some employees report that an reason to feel good about the company. attractive workplace is even more important To truly stand out as an employer and to than money, your company cannot expect to maintain high morale and retention rates, retain top performers unless you also pay however, you will need to go beyond the competitively. If staff members are under- basics and take additional steps to support

Building Employee Job Satisfaction 55 Employment Relations Today your staff members. In Working Mother maga- would like others to emulate. To reward zine’s latest annual report of the 100 Best teams, consider off-site activities or lunches. Companies for Working Mothers, 99 percent You may even want to implement a formal of the firms cited said they offer elder-care companywide recognition program to referral services, compared with 21 percent applaud top performers in such areas as cus- nationwide; 94 percent provided child-care tomer service and innovation. referral services, versus 19 percent nation- Also stress to supervisors at your firm the wide. Take-home meals, therapeutic massage, importance of acknowledging individuals and dependent-care flexible spending who stand out as team players because they accounts were other common benefits that have accepted added responsibilities or the top-ranked organizations offered. increased workloads. Their contributions can Retirement savings plans also are critical, be just as valuable as those of employees who particularly considering the large group of exceed specific performance expectations. baby boomers expected to leave the workforce in the near future. Workers today real- PROMOTE OPEN COMMUNICATION ize that they must take a more proactive role in planning for retirement and are placing Another contributor to job satisfaction is open and honest communication; 52 percent of executives and 30 percent of workers said People who feel they are appreciated tend to do better work so when surveyed recently by Robert Half and are less inclined to leave a firm for other opportunities. International about factors that negatively affect the workplace mood. Many leaders increasing pressure on their employers to concede that they need to improve their provide a wide array of retirement invest- interactions with staff members. In another ment options. When our company asked survey, managers cited lack of communica- 1,400 CFOs which benefits workers value tion as the biggest mistake they have ever most, these programs came in second only to made as supervisors. flexible schedules. Respect is key to the communication pro- cess. As one satisfied worker told the Great RECOGNIZE ACHIEVEMENTS Places to Work Institute: “I know that when I have a concern or difference of opinion with Praise is a powerful motivator. People who my supervisor, I can count on him to give me feel they are appreciated tend to do better unbiased feedback and a different perspec- work and are less inclined to leave for other tive. Whether he agrees with me or not, I opportunities. know that he will give honest opinions and When someone exceeds expectations, offer as many solutions as possible.” instruct managers to acknowledge the contri- Candid communication is particularly bution publicly, such as offering praise dur- important during times of change, such as ing a staff meeting or mentioning the accom- mergers, restructuring, or expansion. Com- plishment in a memo. The recognition not pany guidelines that your group establishes only motivates the employee, but it also high- during these situations should encourage lights the type of behavior your company supervisors to share as much information as

56 Max Messmer Summer 2005 they can about upcoming events. You should However, advise leaders that they shouldn’t let employees know what is planned, why it rely too heavily on these discussions. Some is taking place, and how it affects them—and people may readily speak up during these that you encourage questions and expressions meetings, but others may prefer to share of concern. If people are blindsided by the their comments individually. news and provided with no outlet for responding, they may become resentful and SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS distrustful. Also, when staff members are given minimal information, they may jump to The level of stress associated with a position erroneous conclusions, often fearing the also can greatly affect job satisfaction. Even worst in new situations. your firm’s best employees cannot “give 110 The way managers at your firm choose to percent” all the time; they will burn out, communicate is also critical. E-mail has leading to poor morale and turnover. So, become a leading form of communication, but advise managers to reevaluate expectations it is not the ideal choice in many situations. periodically to make sure current workloads Point out to leaders that when informing are realistic. Although it is acceptable to chal- employees of news that directly affects their lenge staff members, they should not be work—such as notable changes in departmen- tal practices or the appointment of a new Although it is acceptable to challenge staff members, they supervisor—it is best to do so in person. This should not be pushed so hard that they feel overwhelmed, gives managers the opportunity to clarify com- overworked, and underappreciated. plex or sensitive issues and answer questions. They can then follow up the interaction with pushed so hard that they feel overwhelmed, an e-mail or memo reiterating key points. overworked, and underappreciated. Encourage supervisors to support staff ALLOW INVOLVEMENT IN DECISION MAKING interests whenever possible. Sometimes a critical project may require building a diverse Employees at all levels want to play a role in team quickly, but before asking employees to developing the strategies that affect their multitask, leaders should think about work. Those who are given this opportunity whether the extra activity is in line with indi- are more invested in the outcome of their vidual skills and career goals. People who projects because they have a greater connec- willingly take on additional work will be tion to the initiatives at hand. more successful at the tasks at hand than Brainstorming sessions are an excellent those who do so reluctantly. method of soliciting input. Since the goal of these meetings is to generate as many ideas BE CONSISTENT as possible, help managers understand the importance of avoiding overly judgmental or To maintain high job satisfaction among critical comments. A relaxed environment employees, managers need to be sure that their will encourage everyone to participate. words and actions are consistent. If supervisors Weekly staff meetings are another useful at your company ask staff members for their way to promote involvement in key decisions. suggestions as to what types of employees they

Building Employee Job Satisfaction 57 Employment Relations Today should hire in the near term, for example, they are reasons not readily apparent that cause must give serious consideration to the input someone to fail to meet standards. For they receive. Although managers are not obli- instance, personal problems or a conflict with gated to implement every recommendation, a colleague may be contributing to delays advise them to follow through on the best with projects. Supervisors at your firm should ideas, or else employees may believe their collaborate with each person to develop a opinions were never truly valued. strategy for improvement. At training sessions and in company policy Make sure procedures manuals at your books, encourage managers at your organiza- organization require managers to take some tion to communicate performance standards form of action when employees are not meet- consistently. Completing a project behind ing minimal performance requirements. schedule should not generate a public repri- Neglecting these responsibilities can create mand for a team one month and be forgiv- resentment and dissatisfaction in staff mem- able for another group a few weeks later. bers who must work with underperforming Employees need a clear idea of expectations employees. and should know that supervisors will apply standards in a fair and predictable manner. OFFER MENTORING PROGRAMS

MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE The level of professional development support your company provides can also influ- No matter how busy managers become, you ence job satisfaction and retention. Access to should encourage them to maintain an open- mentoring programs can help new and junior employees become more effective in their roles. These programs also allow mentors to It is critical to make employees feel comfortable enough to develop their leadership skills. turn to their supervisors for guidance. You do not have to set up a formal program to achieve results—you just need to door policy, except during private conversa- select participants carefully and make sure tions. It is critical to make employees feel they understand the goals. Do you want men- comfortable enough to turn to their supervi- tors to focus on acclimating new employees sors for guidance. Staff members who feel at to your company’s corporate culture? Or is ease when communicating with supervisors the primary objective to build an employee’s are more likely to remain loyal to their knowledge in a particular area? You may find department and organization. it valuable to match “protégés” with several mentors over a period of a year so they can MANAGE UNDERPERFORMERS EFFECTIVELY gain a wide range of insights.

Most employees truly want to succeed in PROVIDE ADEQUATE STAFFING their positions and value all feedback—even criticism, if it is articulated appropriately. Few HR managers today are fortunate Instruct managers to discuss their concerns enough to report that their companies are with employees privately. Sometimes there sufficiently staffed. After years of difficult

58 Max Messmer Summer 2005 business conditions, many firms have only levels, which can boost morale and lead to recently started to add personnel once greater productivity. again. Understaffing can quickly reach a Companies with high levels of employee point at which it is counterproductive and satisfaction realize the importance of incorpo- leads to employee burnout. When people rating employee-friendly policies into the cor- constantly have to cover responsibilities porate culture. They take their staff mem- outside of their typical duties, job satisfac- bers’ concerns and interests seriously and tion can erode quickly if no relief is in solicit input regularly to ensure that they are sight. addressing the most important issues. Morale If your company does not have the budget is not something that can be improved at the or ongoing need for more full-time staff, con- flick of a switch. However, by developing an sider bringing in temporary or project profes- approach that takes into account the unique sionals to help during peak workloads. If you needs of your workforce and gaining buy-in are with a large organization, make sure all from senior management and department managers recognize that this option is avail- leaders, you can make lasting improvements able to them. It can help them reduce stress in employee job-satisfaction levels.

Max Messmer is the chairman and CEO of Robert Half International, Inc. (RHI), the parent company of Robert Half Finance & Accounting, Accountemps, and Robert Half Management Resources. RHI is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm, placing accounting and finance professionals on a full-time, temporary, and project basis. Mr. Messmer’s most recent books are Motivating Employees for Dummies® and Manag- ing Your Career for Dummies® (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.).

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