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What 750 Stats Tell Us About Engagement, Satisfaction and Work
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Every day it seems as if there’s a new research report or survey published about employee engagement and retention, or benefits, or what constitutes an effective workplace. Each one promises a hot new revelation or breakthrough that you can use to get your own office revved up and dialed in.
Combing through all of those to find the useful nuggets for your workplace is a mighty task. Good luck trying to keep up!
So two years ago, we at Access Perks started compiling the stats coming out of this research deluge. And not just a few stats – we wanted to curate every relevant piece of data we could get our hands on, and share it with the world.
Today, what we call the “Ultimate Collection” of employee engagement and loyalty stats holds over 750 pieces of data, with more added weekly. Over the course of two years spent sorting through the numbers, we’ve found recurring themes that illustrate a few major shifts and changes in the modern workforce.
Here are five takeaways (with supporting data and links to original sources) that nearly every piece of research seems to agree on:
“People don’t quit jobs, they quit managers” isn’t just a nice saying. There’s a lot of data behind it:
That data doesn’t look promising. And it might be getting worse. It seems more managers are disengaging, and plenty are looking to parachute out of their employers.
Disengaged managers can obviously do serious damage to a team. But when a manager is tuned-in to their team and their employer, the gains are tremendous:
Most people become managers because they’re great at a core competence – sales, marketing, coding, and so on. It usually isn’t because they’re great leaders. Companies need to invest more into the leadership aspects of management, which will improve overall team morale and performance.
That might sound a little crazy. But the impact of benefits may be more powerful than you think – and it’s growing.
We put a few numbers together using publicly-available figures like average income and taxes. When out-of-pocket health premiums and deductibles are factored in, Americans are taking home 10% less than they were in 2006 — 25% less after accounting for inflation!
A more generous health benefits plan can add thousands of dollars back into employee pockets. It’s not salary, but it’s still money in their pockets. Easier said than done, right?
Here’s a silver lining: people are willing to trade hard compensation for other benefits, primarily flexibility:
That being said, don’t use this as an excuse to skimp on salary. Pay your people what they’re worth, but also be sure to communicate the value of your benefits as well.
Nobody is taking vacations anymore. Or at least, taking as much time as they’ve earned:
And when we say “true” vacation, we mean time spent actually unplugged from work:
American work culture has convinced most employees that the spoils go to the person who works the hardest and longest. Whether or not that’s true, most managers don’t discourage it. They should, however, because studies show that people respond well to time away.
A “hands-off” vacation or after-hours policy could be a major boost to your employee benefits, and it wouldn’t cost a dime. Even better, your employees will be appreciative and refreshed.
Most people feel okay about their workplaces. To them it’s enough just to be employed, earning a paycheck and staying off the chopping block. But don’t confuse satisfaction with engagement. They’re not the same.
Most people are simply filling a role for a paycheck.
Is that a bad thing? Probably not. Every team needs role players that are content to do a few simple things very well.
Maybe somewhere back in the day it was enough to just have warm bodies in seats. Some industries are still content to keep a revolving cast of low wage-earning employees because it keeps costs down.
Times have changed for everyone else. Consumers have more choices than ever, and it only takes one bad experience to chase them away. Those bad interactions could come from customer service, the product itself, or even just a casual encounter with an employee online.
Engaged employees are the human embodiment of your brand. They have a personal connection to their work and the work of the company. They care as much as the top executives — even more so, in some cases.
As such, they’re going to expect more of themselves and push the company forward, regardless of their position. This pays off in a better all-around experience for customers.
As the keepers of corporate culture, HR is no longer simply a “cost center.” You have a say in who is hired, how people are managed, in-house growth opportunities, benefits, and so much more. We have clear evidence that those tie directly back to profitability.
And every executive loves profitability. We don’t have a stat for that, but we’d guess it’s close to 100%.
If there’s one big takeaway from two years and 750+ stats, it’s this: Companies aren’t made up of buildings, products, or websites. They’re comprised of people working together toward the same goals.
The more investment you can make into the people in your company, the more your business stands to benefit in measurable areas like revenue and retention.
That means fair compensation, competitive benefits, opportunities for growth, and the ability to try, fail, and try again. It means recognition, personal relationships, and compassion.
In other words, the things people need to be happy and inspired at work and everywhere else. The things that lead people to become engaged and personally invested in what their company is doing.
After all, if the people who are paid to care about your brand don’t, why should anyone else?
If your company has completed research or surveys in the areas of employee engagement, loyalty, benefits, or workplace satisfaction, please let us know here. We’d love to include it!