Forget the pizza and ping pong — here’s what staff really want
There are two answers — far ahead of others, practically in a league of their own — to the question of what employees want. And employers don’t always want to hear them.
That statement comes not just from recent research but from learnings from over a decade running a small business, as well as a few more than those 10 years spent at larger companies. Because, let’s face it, at this time of year we hear a lot about staff benefits, plus increasingly an organisation’s values or purpose.
Don’t get me wrong, those other things can be important. I’d like to think most of you have worked for an organisation that you believe in. Somewhere that has a mission. Maybe somewhere that has a bad old way or competitors that it’s reacting against. These can be powerful motivators.
And who hasn’t enjoyed a slice of free pizza or Friday afternoon beers by now? Just don’t confuse those with real tactics to attract or retain staff.
No, the two main things that matter to any of us are money and flexibility.
Money, money, money, money
Nothing quite makes up for being paid what you’re worth. Or even being paid above that. I’ve seen people who have tried to negotiate a pay rise and been pointed to fringe benefits. That doesn’t usually end well.
So pay staff properly. (This is seemingly a contentious subject for a swathe of the UK population as workers in numerous sectors go on strike, mainly over pay.)
If your employer or someplace where you’re interviewing is cagey about pay levels, that’s a red flag. Not necessarily a deal breaker — but pay transparency is increasingly a good move.
So know what you’re worth and expect a good employer to meet you on that.
Flexibility
Flexibility means several things — relating to the time of day you work, the place you work, even which days of the week you work.
In an ideal world, each person gets the flexibility they need. Recent studies, many off the back of the COVID-19 pandemic, show that flexibility has not just been something workers have embraced but it has led to better corporate performance and better levels of inclusion. (One great recent case study is Spotify.)
What’s the right level of flexibility? In the UK, as well as in other parts of the world, expect more changes in laws over the coming year. That said, our agency has long been a proponent of maximum flexibility, which might also be easier when you’re working with staff, freelancers and clients across most of the world’s time zones.
What does this ‘max flex’ mean? One approach is this: consider what new or return-to-work mothers need. Recruiting mums, many of whom are criminally overlooked by employers but bring masses of experience and other skills, has been a big win for our agency.
And this doesn’t mean anything bad for anyone who isn’t a mother — or father. That same flexibility can and should apply to all staff.
We’ve polled our team about flexibility as a benefit. You might be surprised to hear that not only does it rank over the long list of other benefits companies sometimes offer but that it ranks over salary too.
We’ll see more of the world’s most successful companies promote flexible working — and that won’t be a coincidence. Just be sure to get pay right too.
Photo by Piret Ilver on Unsplash
This post first appeared on LinkedIn on 11 January 2023.
