What an Employee Want?

Last weekend we went to a friend’s place to celebrate his Entrepreneurship Journey! After a long time of working for an employer he has started on his own and I wish him all the luck and good fortune! While a bunch of us were having a discussion on random topics he asked this very question! What an Employee Want? How can I get the best talent and most important how can I retain them? He asked me: “Tell me, you have been on both the sides, what do you feel? You have also left a Job that was almost a dream job for a fresher and was asked to leave as well, and you have been an employer for a short time. I need your views!” Well my reaction was like: Why don’t you go online and read some great research articles on this and you have been an employee for far more years than I have been working! You tell me! And better ask your friend (My husband) he has been an employer from the first day he started working! “

So I involved a few more friends and we got talking! The topic is such a huge topic that you can spend hours. But we had to stop somewhere and we decided to listen to all and then try to draw out Five Points that we all agree up on and that’s how this post was born!

We had many suggestions regulars like- Good Remuneration, Good Work Conditions, Flexibility, Positive Environment and what not!  But we had to decide on five! So below are the five needs we all could relate and agreed upon!

1)     Respect:  An employee needs respect! He is also a human and he wants you to understand it! Not everyone is good at everything. But you have to acknowledge him and embrace the knowledge and skill sets he brings with him in the organisation! Everyone deserves to be respected and it does wonders to their self esteem! An employee who has a positive self esteem and confidence is the best employee! Just by showing little humanity and respect toward individual you can gain a lot as an employer! This point was put forward by my husband who runs his construction business and firmly believes no matter how small or big the worker is you will respect him than he will always do the right thing in his work!

2)     Right Power at Right Time: Now this point was out forward by the same friend who started his own venture! While he was leaving the organisation he was offered a great position and power! But it was too late! He waited for that power for a quite a good time! And the organisation also knew that! So point is acknowledging the talent! Give them responsibility make them strong and independent it will make your organisation stronger!

3)     Trust: Now this is my point! I was asked to leave because I put too much trust in my team, I gave them freedom and power! I made them able to take their own call and which unfortunately for an organisation was way too much! I had an amazing boss and I own all my success today to him! He had trusted me and gave me task on my own I was a fresher anything could have gone wrong but his trust in me was so strong that I never failed! I still miss working for him! I left because it was a wise thing to do for both myself and the organisation!

4)     Motivation: Reward and Recognition: Always do this! There is no way you can run away from this! Even a toddler loves to hear he did well! While we all are full grown, hard working adults who deserves this! I did this as an employer and I know the loyalty I earned form it! The happy workforce is the healthy workforce and which in turn makes the work environment health and positive! This was the point we all had suggested and won the highest marks from all of us!

5)     Transparency: This was suggested by a friend who was working with a big media group and they had many divisions and no one knew what other is working on! Tell your employee your goals, your aspirations as an organisation. Conduct weekly meetings if needed daily sync ups! Listen to them and speak to them! Tell then why you did something that you did! This will increase their faith in the organisation! It will give them clarity of work they do and which is very important for work satisfaction!

Well so here I have said it! I know most us know most of the things but this five points have came from a very diverse group of people and I felt that I must share it! So what are your five pointers? What do you think is still missing and must be part of this list? Please suggests and I will dutifully forward them to my friends and hey that can make a good topic for next discussion!

Till then, Happy Working and  Give your best today!