Title: Beyond pay packets: what really matters to employees

When thinking about what employees look for in a job, a large paycheck might spring to mind. However, the truth is that salaries and financial bonuses aren’t the only ways to create a motivated and engaged workforce. Unfortunately, far too many companies focus their time and effort on ineffective tactics in an attempt to keep their staff satisfied, which can often prove to be an expensive mistake. When you’re trying to recruit top talent and build a loyal workforce, it’s important to look beyond pay packets and give your staff what they truly want. Want to find out the secret behind attracting and retaining the very best and brightest staff? Read on to learn more about what really matters to your employees.   Comfort is key   One of the simplest and most effective ways that businesses can get the most out of their staff is by providing a comfortable working environment. Bear in mind that many office workers spend around eight hours a day, five days a week sitting at their desks. It is well documented that long periods of inactivity can have a detrimental impact on our physical and mental health, and there’s no doubt that low-quality furniture adds to this problem. Not only can uncomfortable chairs and poorly set up workstations cause aches and pains, but they can also be highly distracting and make it difficult for workers to focus on the task at hand.   To maintain a happy and healthy workforce, it’s important to invest in high-quality, ergonomically designed office furniture. By ensuring that your staff are as comfortable as possible, you can improve their wellbeing, reduce absenteeism and enhance productivity. Showing your personnel that you care about their health and safety can also be an effective morale booster.   Stimulating surroundings   Let’s face it, no one wants to spend the best part of their day in a drab, depressing office. With employees often spending more time at work than they do at home, having a pleasant environment is crucial. To build an enthusiastic and energised workforce, try to think beyond the traditional office setup and focus on creating more stimulating surroundings. With big brands such as Google leading the way with fun, creative workplace designs, an increasing number of companies are starting to embrace this trend in a bid to make the office more of a home from home.   However, there’s no need to install three-storey slides to engage your employees. Simple changes such as modernising your décor or providing recreational spaces where employees can socialise and blow off steam can go a long way towards creating a positive company culture. Having a dynamic office design that goes beyond dull cubicles and whitewashed walls can work wonders for morale and performance.   Training and mentoring   It’s also important to make sure that you invest time in training and mentoring your staff. After all, being stuck in a dead end job with no chance for progression can easily send your staff looking for work elsewhere. Employees value on the job learning and the chance to develop in their roles. With that in mind, providing the opportunity for growth and giving your staff the chance to contribute to a firm they believe in should help you attract and retain the best talent.   Providing ongoing training and conducting regular appraisals can help make your workers feel more involved and engaged with their work. Remember to take the time to ask your staff what their individual career goals and needs are. This will show them that you are looking out for their best interests and that you want them to succeed in their roles. Even if training costs money and means that employees are temporarily removed from their work, it will benefit everyone in the long run. As a result, you should find that your staff pay less attention to their paychecks and focus more on contributing to the success of your company.   Being inspired   Everyone wants to feel that their job has a purpose. Sadly, many companies fall short when it comes to inspiring their employees. If you don’t spend time engaging your staff, you run the risk of them experiencing low job satisfaction, which can ultimately affect performance and be bad news for your bottom line.   To create a dedicated workforce, make sure both employees and managers are clear about what your organisation is trying to achieve. Always be transparent and encourage open communication across the firm. Everyone should have a clearly defined role and know what part they play in helping the company to reach its goals. Establishing a common objective across the board and uniting everyone in a single purpose can foster a sense of camaraderie, which can help to bring an organisation together and drive success.   Recognition and rewards   To retain valuable members of staff, achievements need to recognised and celebrated. In fact, a lack a recognition and praise can be one of the main factors that pushes employees to leave their jobs. People thrive when they are respected and noticed for their achievements, so try to focus on creating an environment which encourages recognition and inspires your workforce to take pride in their work.   Take the time to identify the skills and expertise that your employees bring to the business. Rewarding high performers can highlight role models for people to follow and encourage employees to excel in their jobs. In others words, the more respected and valued your employees feel, the better they will perform in their roles and the more loyal to the company they will be. Whether it’s giving a special announcement in a company meeting or granting an extra day's holiday, even small, non-monetary rewards can go a long way towards letting your staff know that they are valued members of the team.   When it comes to employees’ needs, money isn’t everything. By following useful tips like these, you should find that you are able to minimise staff turnover, increase morale and job satisfaction and create an environment that your personnel enjoy working in.