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What Employees Really Want in a Job

January 31 | 3 mins

CHG Healthcare surveyed more than 800 American workers to learn what employees desired most in a job. It’s not surprising that salary topped the list, but here are the top five things employees said were most consequential in a position.

Salary

The American Psychological Association (APA) published the results of their Stress in America poll, and they reported 61 percent of respondents said money was a significant source of stress over the past year. Fifty-nine percent also reported stress over the economy.

According to the CHG survey, low salary is still the top reason workers leave their jobs. Financial stability is a worry for a sizable percentage. And people want the peace of mind to perform their job responsibilities without the added pressure of hoping ends will meet at the end of the month. Employers who want to stay competitive in attracting quality talent must stay mindful of the current economic climate and how it might impact their workforce.

Company Culture

The CHG survey also found that when fostering a healthy culture, most companies were aiming at the wrong targets: “While it may seem like an easy fix to invest money in onsite gyms, ping-pong tables, or free food, what workers really want is a place where they feel comfortable with their work environment and are treated with respect,” the CHG team wrote.

Employees were asked about what really contributes to a good company culture and they identified these as the top five.

Workplace environment
Growth/development opportunities
Access to leadership
Transparent communication
Job has meaning

The edifice of meaningless perks has crumbled, and workers want to feel heard by their employer. Communication between leadership and staff can help bridge the gap between what employers offer and what employees actually desire.

Good Benefits

In the CHG survey, health insurance tied for first place with work from home flexibility and paid time off when they asked employees what they looked for in a new job. Ten percent of respondents wished their employer offered free healthcare. Employees have grown weary of escalating insurance premiums and deductibles.

For families already walking a financial tightrope, increasingly high out-of-pocket expenses leave many unable to engage with the healthcare system when they need it. While it is unlikely all employers will provide free health insurance for their workforce, there is an alternative that can minimize out-of-pocket spending for employees and mitigate claims for their employer.

Direct primary care (DPC) is a health membership that offers unlimited visits to a primary care provider and virtual visits for no additional costs. For a low monthly fee, workers can also implement DPC as a dependent-only option if they can’t afford to cover them on their insurance plan.

Help your clients become an employer of choice.

The Best Practice Institute says workers are as much as four times more likely to be extra productive if they love the company they work for. Employees are also more likely to stay with a company they love longer.

Employers want to offer the best salaries and the best benefits but often struggle putting the pieces together. Benefits brokers are extremely knowledgeable about current benefit offerings and how they can coordinate options together to mitigate costs.

Finding cost-effective solutions for quality health benefits is easier than you think. To learn more about how direct primary care can help companies of all sizes provide meaningful health benefits affordably, contact Healthcare2U.

What Employees Really Want in a Job

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