In recent years there has been a big shift in the way we work. The introduction of hybrid and flexible working and the drive for wellbeing solutions has become critical in team engagement and retention.
How are organisations reacting to this change now that this is becoming a new norm? And what does it mean for newer generations joining the workplace?
The big question comes back to: what are employees looking for in their roles and what brings them the best employee satisfaction?
An Office of National Statistics study showed, that more than 8 in 10 workers who had to work from home during the coronavirus pandemic, said they planned to hybrid work in the future and currently, 84% of workers say they prefer hybrid working. This demonstrates how the pandemic created lasting effects within the workplace and for Shields, that means flexible working is here to stay.
Shields’ recent employee engagement and satisfaction survey results show that since the pandemic we have offered our teams a healthier work-life balance. External Studies also showed that on average, working remotely increases productivity by 13%. Work-related stress can seriously affect performance and achieving a good work-life balance can help reduce this – which is what motivated us to intact this change permanently.
Other incentives we offer in line with the wish list from the best perks survey include; three enhanced paid days off on top of your usual annual entitlement. One for your birthday, one charity day and one personal performance day to celebrate the completion of your annual personal development goals. This was something that Gen Z workers are especially interested in, which is important to us as we strive to bring in the best new talent to ensure employee satisfaction and the highest quality work we can.
Another way we try to encourage good working relationships and great quality is by ensuring every team member has a meaningful induction when joing our organisation. We employ a 12-week induction plan that consists of learning about our organisation, building relationships and driving employee development. It is an important value to us that no matter where you sit within our business you should be given the best chance to build lasting connections and focus on employee learning.
Our Director of HR, George Stone says, “Retaining talent is difficult. Ensuring that employee satisfaction is constantly improving is no easy job – we are continuously driving our people standards forward to assess how we can better support and fan the flame of exciting talent in our business. New initiatives are always on the horizon, and we’re excited about building enhanced programs to ensure we’re one of the best places to work.”
There are various options for perks and incentives within an organisation, and deciding if your company can provide these and whether the impact for employees will benefit you, can be challenging. To Shields, it is vital to the success of employee satisfaction and retention. We believe in showing our staff that they are appreciated and valued.
At Shields, we have always held our values at the heart of everything we do. We aim to stay innovative and be quality-driven. Our commitments to our people allows focus from the organisation on wellbeing, safety, and career progression. Our belief in retaining and improving employee satisfaction is running a values-first business.
To find out more about our rewarding career opportunities, contact our People Team by emailing [email protected] or read more on the importance of ESG within the workplace here.