Helping employees

increase job

satisfaction

An increasing trend in the

workplace is job dissatisfaction.
According to the 2013 Gallup report: State of the American Workplace

only 30% of people

were engaged with
their jobs.

The other 70% were either not

engaged or actively disengaged.

According to the Talent Trends of 2014 Report,

trends of world professionals are:

15%
are completely
satisfied with their
current role and
dont want to move

45%
say they are not looking
for a job, but are open
to talking to recruiters
about career

15%
are not looking, but
are chatting with
their close personal
network about
opportunities

25%
are actively
looking for
opportunities

How can satisfaction in the workplace be fixed?

Both employees and employers can take action
to increase their job satisfaction. Commitment
from both sides leads to understanding and
improvement in the workplace.

employee

employer

[Support from the top] is critical-senior level

management sets the tone, creates the environment
in which these initiatives can happen and then
provides the resources. But this top-level
commitment must be combined with mid-level and
front-line managerial support and grassroots
employee involvement if it is to be truly successful.

Jill Casner-Lotto, vice president of the

Work in America Institute

Two types of job satisfaction

Intrinsic job
satisfaction:

Extrinsic job
satisfaction:

Employees consider
the kind of work they
do (daily tasks)

Employees consider the

conditions of work
(managers, pay,
coworkers, etc.)

Overall job satisfaction is achieved

with the combination of the two

For example, according to The Career

Key, the top 10 job expectations according
to working professionals include:

Satisfaction in
the workplace
also correlates
with job
expectations.

1. Type of Work
2. Security
3. Company
4. Advancement
5. Coworkers
6. Pay
7. Supervision
8. Hours
9. Benefits
10. Working
Conditions

What employees can do to

increase their satisfaction:

1
Know
yourself and
your values.

What kind of work do you enjoy? What

keeps you focused? How do you know
when youve made a difference? If you
dont have answers to these questions, it
should serve as a starting point. By
knowing what you want and what your
future goals are, you can tailor your job
to those needs. Dont be afraid to reach
out to your supervisor to discuss your
goals within the company.

2
Consider
what you
receive
from your
current job

Are you getting out what you put in? Do

you feel recognized for your efforts?
Sometimes decreased satisfaction comes
from components such as pay, employee
benefits and work hours. But it goes
deeper. You need to feel appreciated by
your leaders and the company overall.
Try communicating with your supervisor.
If its not possible, consider finding a
company that demonstrates how much it
values your work and commitment.

3
Be realistic

Every job will have some dissatisfaction,

even the best jobs around the nation
experiences dissatisfaction. However,
know how to take the initiative to create
change, if possible.

4
Dont allow
dissatisfaction
to linger on

Believe it or not, having negative feelings

over the course of time can worsen your
stress, mental health, and lead to
unemployment. Dont let a career worsen
your overall well-being.
$
$
$
$

Active disengagement
cost U.S. companies

$450 billion to
$550 billion
per year
(Gallup Workplace Report, 2013)

In the same Gallup report, it states that

actively disengaged workers are more
likely to: steal from their organizations,
negatively influence co-workers, miss
workdays and drive customers away.

5
Look at career
progress and
consider
possible
career/employer
change if
necessary

One aspect of employment

dissatisfaction includes limited or no
advancement from your current position.
Again, dont let this hold you back, talk
with a supervisor to see possible career
advancement. Putting your efforts for
career advancement and future goals can
increase your overall satisfaction, as well
as benefiting the employer.

What employers can do to

increase employee satisfaction:

1
Create a
higher calling
among
employees jobs

If employees know they are making a

difference with the work they do, the
more satisfied they are coming into the
office each day. Personal connection,
feedback on how their work is making a
difference are all key to creating an
engaged environment.

2
Set out
development
plans and
training
opportunities

Employers need to promote employee

growth within the company in order to
retain talent at all levels. By helping your
employees reach their full potential with
coaching, mentoring, and training,
employees are given the chance to
continually grow and develop new skills.

3
Be clear on
expectations
and time
management

30
Sudden deadlines can add stress to an
employee's work week, so consider
having their time spent wisely with
quicker conference calls and meetings.
Wasting their time with meetings that
could have been a simple email leads for
less time to finish their tasks. Giving
adequate deadlines will not only
decrease stress, but help them deliver
great work.

4
Increase
communication
in the office

Create an environment that allows for

open dialogue and communication. This
builds trust with leaders as well as other
team members. Little things like open
space for interaction to off site events
allows everyone to interact and connect.

5
Appreciate
day-to-day
efforts and the
big wins

Great
work!

Bottom line, employees want to be

appreciated for the difference they make.
Its not hard to understand that great
work comes from engaged employees
who feel their work is valued. Whether
its a simple thank you or an award
presented in front of their peers,
employees will benefit from the
recognition of their hard work.

O.C. Tanner on employee recognition:

The best employee recognition

programs turn moments in the
spotlight into a sense of greater value,
personal growth, and commitment.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

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Learn more ways to increase retention

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O.C. Tanner and The O.C. Tanner Institute

O.C. Tanner helps the world inspire and appreciate great
work. Through our innovative cloud-based software, tools,
awards, education and research, we provide thought
leadership and strategic recognition solutions for thousands
of clients globally. Designed to engage talent, increase
performance, and drive corporate goals, our solutions create
personalized recognition experiences delivered through a
smart technology platform.
The O.C. Tanner institute regularly commissions research and
provides a global forum for exchanging ideas about
recognition, engagement, leadership, culture, human values
and sound business principles.

Sources:
http://www.gallup.com/strategicconsulting/163007/state-american-workplace.aspx
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231693
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/70060
http://www.careerkey.org/choose-a-career/job-satisfaction.html#.U63PuMZyBBV
http://www.careerkey.org/choose-a-career/top-job-expectations.html#.U6ybGY1dWKU
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/12/job-satisfaction.aspx
http://www.inc.com/guides/201105/7-ways-to-improve-employee-satisfaction.html