Unemployment has long been low in many job markets. This is especially noticeable in certain industries, where retaining employees and attracting new talent can be a challenge. More often than not, it’s the employees who hold the upper hand.
These statistics help illustrate the point. They come from a survey about Danish working life conducted by Jobindex, which you can read more about in the report “Jobinsights”:
- About 3 out of 4 are contacted about new job opportunities several times a year.
- 38% are actively looking for new jobs.
- 78% will reject a job offer if they get a bad impression during the interview.
- 58% will turn down a job offer if the employer doesn’t prioritize well-being and mental health.
These numbers also highlight the importance of focusing on employee retention – because it’s costly for a company when a skilled colleague leaves. It’s also resource-intensive if people don’t already know you as a workplace and you need to start recruiting from scratch.
Find your employee value proposition
You can make it clear to both your current and future employees what makes your workplace attractive. One area to focus on is your Employee Value Proposition (EVP): What is it that your workplace offers employees in exchange for their work and commitment?
Here are some questions you can ask yourselves and your employees as part of the process of defining your EVP:
- What do your employees value most in their work life? (e.g., work-life balance, salary, flexibility, etc.)
- How do you create a sense of connection between the company and the employees?
- How do you differentiate yourselves from other employers?
Read more about employee value proposition in the fact box below.
A clear EVP can serve as a cornerstone of your workplace’s employer branding. It tells a story about what it means to work for your company and communicates to both current and potential employees why they should choose (or stay with) your organization.
What is Employee Value Proposition?
An Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is the unique set of benefits your workplace offers employees in exchange for their skills, experience, and loyalty. In other words, it’s the company’s promise to its employees about what they can expect to gain from working there – both professionally and personally.
An EVP typically consists of several elements:
- Compensation: Salary, bonuses, and other financial benefits.
- Work Environment: Culture, atmosphere, work-life balance, and the physical workspace.
- Development Opportunities: Career advancement, learning, and opportunities for growth.
- Company Purpose and Values: How the company’s mission and values align with the employees’ personal goals.
- Flexibility and Work-Life Balance: The ability to balance work and personal life, for example, through flexible hours or remote work.
Listen and prevent poor well-being before It takes hold
Low job satisfaction drives employees to leave. Nearly 1 in 5 employees with poor job satisfaction change jobs within six months.
But what causes low job satisfaction? Prevent poor well-being by staying attuned to how your employees are doing. Gain regular insight into how they feel, how engaged they are, and what matters most to them.
You can track employee well-being and gain key insights by regularly conducting well-being surveys, quick pulse surveys, or workplace assessments (WRA). Learn more about the different types of surveys. Use the insights from these surveys to take targeted action where it’s needed most and to monitor employee well-being over time. Read more about analysis, insights, and improvement here.
Gain deeper Insight Into employee loyalty
How loyal and satisfied are your employees? You can find out through an eNPS survey (Employee Net Promoter Score). In an eNPS, employees are asked on a scale from 1–10 how likely they are to recommend their workplace to friends and acquaintances.
eNPS can easily be added when sending out a GAIS well-being survey.
Use the results of your eNPS to kickstart conversations about employee satisfaction and well-being, or use the results to demonstrate to potential hires that your workplace is attractive.
You can also showcase your workplace well-being externally through GAIS OpenScore, and use it as part of your employer branding strategy. Read more about the possibilities with employer branding here.
Create a culture where well-being Is part of the conversation
Employee well-being can be a fuzzy concept—and what it takes for each of us to thrive at work varies. Develop a shared language around well-being so it becomes easier to address. How do you talk about work-life balance? About what makes work meaningful? Or what words do you use when someone’s skills don’t quite match their tasks?
Use, for example, the seven factors to establish a clear framework for talking about well-being. Hold regular check-ins and create space for meaningful dialogue about what drives motivation. Be inspired by how others have used the seven factors to build a culture of well-being.
Listen to your employees – and strengthen well-being
Let’s have a no-obligation conversation where, based on your needs and wishes, we’ll show you the possibilities of the GAIS platform.
With GAIS, you can easily get started with continuously gathering feedback from your employees, enabling you to take action where it matters most, boost employee engagement, and improve retention.
