The core of every business is its employees. As simple as this statement seems, it is equally intricate and complex, because employee needs are also getting diverse with the expansion of businesses with every passing day. From empathy to motivation, employees have complex prerequisites that need to be addressed for their optimum performance. Contrary to the traditional belief stating that only monetary compensation can satisfy employees, it is now assured that many other factors are considered “employee needs” when it comes to a better business performance. Employers who work to meet their employees’ needs are guaranteed to encourage an engaged workforce that is willing to work effortlessly. To understand this, it is important to explore these underlying needs of employees other than paychecks and increments. These are:
1. Self-Esteem:
Perhaps the most underrated factor affecting employee’s performance and eventually the progress of a business is the self-esteem of an employee within the organization. When an employer does not give due credit to the toiling and struggles of an employee, it mostly undermines his self-worth, leading to feelings of self-doubt and ultimately underperformance. An employee might no longer feel motivated or enough for a certain task, feeling unfit and useless within the business setting. Every employee needs appreciation and some level of gratitude in order to feel motivated enough for working efficiently.
2. Leadership:
Contrary to old-fashioned authoritarianism within an organization, it is now believed that every employee deserves some sort of leadership role in the setting. This not only increases the employee’s confidence but also his interests in achieving the business goals and objectives. When an employee is allowed to lead, guide or simply influence his co-workers, he works with more zeal and spirit. If employees are given clear pictures of budget and profit objectives and are made to believe that they can make some sort of strategic decisions for a business (be it small or large), they feel included and self-worthy within the organizational pyramid.
3. Job Security:
While it is thought that everyone works for monetary gains, the employee subconscious is almost always seeking some level of job security within the tasks he/she accomplishes. When an employee knows he is here to stay, he would consider the business’s stakes as his own. The profit and loss of the organization would feel as his personal loss or gain, and he would definitely work more strenuously to achieve them. An employee with doubtful job security would almost always feel demotivated, lethargic and pessimistic, missing out on deadlines leading to overall underachievement of the business.
4. Psychological Safety:
Every employee must be given a feeling of trust and mutual understanding with the employer. In case of its absence employees might feel afraid or hesitant to speak their minds from the fear of facing consequences. They should be assured that even if their opinions contradict with the employers’ they still have a say in the organization.
5. Personal and Career Development:
Nobody can work in a place where he/she feels underdeveloped and wasted. In the language of HR, every employee should be promoted in his/her career ladder once he/she works tirelessly for company specific goals. Dedicated and determined employees would only show their true capabilities if they feel they are excelling ahead in their personal and career objectives. This leads to overall motivation of an employee who makes sure he works for the achievement of organizational goals with his full potential.
6. Eliminating IT Related Challenges:
Given the technological world of today, every organization has IT driven procedures and objectives. IT has not only sped up the organizational processes, but has also facilitated almost all employees from the bottom of the organizational pyramid to the top. As much as it has benefitted organizations, it still has its challenges, which have been overcome by some businesses, while others are still in process of eliminating them. IT service management software, which helps in the prime management of IT assets within an organization, has a direct connection with employee engagement as shown by a study by Sharom and Gagnon (2015). The more engaged and delved are the employees, the greater is the organizational achievement as a whole.
7. Health and Well-Being:
Employees should be given regular breaks to avoid burnouts and overworking. An employee should never feel threatened or insecure about his physical being at the workplace. Employees should be given a friendly and relaxed environment in order for them to work diligently and put in their maximum efforts.
8. Purpose:
The driving force behind every employee is the purpose of struggle. If the goals and objectives are vague and unexplained, employees might feel agitated and perplexed, leading to underperformance and fatigue. The best way to provide a purpose to every employee is to align a person’s goals with the organization’s goals. This is when employees would be shown how their contribution has made an impact on the company’s achievements and profits. This makes employees more responsible and they take account of their own actions.
9. Regular Feedback:
When employees are evaluated regularly, they look forward to work and put in their best efforts. Regular appraisals and feedback are like food to a working brain; the more the appreciation, the higher the struggle quotient of the employee. Constructive feedback and effective communication are a key to enhancing every employee’s long term performance.
Effects of Meeting Employee Needs
Some of the positive effects of meeting employee needs effectively are:
1. Better employee retention
2. Content and cohesive workforce
3. Enhancement of a company’s brand image within the market
4. Employee commitment and increased productivity
5. Lower absence rate
6. Improved customer satisfaction
It is therefore definite that employee needs, if met adequately, can show wonders in an employee’s performance and motivation. The better an employee performs, the better is the business management, and consequently the brand name. Money might be a driving factor for an employee but not entirely.
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