In an increasingly competitive job market, understanding what employees truly want isn’t just ideal, it’s necessary to put your organization ahead.

Unfortunately, the current state of employee engagement doesn’t paint a promising picture. According to Gallup, just 31% of U.S. employees are engaged at work. This marks the lowest engagement levels in a decade and speaks to a gradual decrease in engagement since 2020.

But this trend doesn’t mean your organization needs to accept that low engagement and dwindling satisfaction is an inevitable part of operation. It does suggest, however, that we may need to alter our approach to how we meet employees at their level.

To gather these valuable employee insights, Paycom commissioned a survey from Morning Consult in February 2022. The surveyed employees vary in background, industry, age and, notably, happiness.

What employee insights did Morning Consult’s survey reveal?

Morning Consult divided the 2,200 surveyed employees into two broad groups — those who were satisfied with their employer, and those who weren’t. In terms of priorities, 65% of satisfied and unsatisfied workers alike valued work-life balance the most.

When asked about what made the surveyed employees happy at work, however, Morning Consult uncovered a stronger divide. A staggering 88% of satisfied employees said self-fulfillment and enjoyment made them the happiest. On the other hand, just 28% of unsatisfied employees suggested the same factors made them happy.

Nearly half of the respondents in Morning Consult’s survey were open to a new position. While salary typically holds the strongest influence, employees tend to resign over:

• high stress (32%)
• no path to promotion (31%)
• a new interest or passion (26%)

This article courtesy of Paycom