Survey looks at what motivates employees most and what makes them stay
The end of the year is a popular time for workers to take stock of their career and decide what changes they want to make in the New Year. One area workers may be considering making some adjustments this coming year is work-life balance.
According to a survey from CareerBuilder.ca, nearly a quarter of workers struggle to find a balance between work and personal time. Twenty-three per cent of workers say are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their work-life balance, and only half say they are satisfied or very satisfied with their work-life balance (50 per cent).
A majority of workers (68 per cent) report feeling burned out on their job at times, and more than 1 in 10 workers (13 per cent) say they "always" feel burned out on the job.
"Many of us spend a majority of our time at work, and it can bleed into personal time," says Mark Bania, Director of CareerBuilder Canada. "At times, that can become overwhelming and lead to feelings of burnout among employees. One way employers can counter these effects is to offer more benefits around work-life balance, such as more flexible hours or the option to work from home."
What Employees Value Most
Work-life balance is among the top factors employees value most in their jobs. When asked about the three most important factors of their jobs, salary was cited most often (75 per cent) by workers, followed by:
Job security: 70 per cent
Work-life balance: 64 per cent
Learning opportunities: 25 per cent
The ability to make a difference: 21 per cent
Autonomy in my position: 18 per cent
Money is even preferable to extra time off. When asked if they would choose a bigger paycheck over a shorter work week, the overwhelming majority of workers (71 per cent) said they would opt for extra cash.
What Makes Employees Stay
When it comes to their feelings about the job itself, more than one third of workers (37 per cent) say they love their jobs. Seven per cent say they hate their jobs and 56 per cent say they are OK with it.
Keeping Employees Motivated
Though money is a major incentive for 43 per cent of workers, it falls second to the ability to provide for themselves and their families as the most popular motivator for workers, cited by 52 per cent. One in five workers say the ability to make a difference motivates them to do their job (21 per cent), and 1 in 10 find motivation in the ability to create something meaningful or cool.
Earning the Right to More Flexible Schedules
Having more flexibility in the schedules could help with finding a better work-life balance; however, while the majority of employees (65 per cent) believe companies should offer flexible work schedules to every employee, the remaining 35 per cent believe workers should have to earn the right to a flexible work schedule.
