8 Employee Satisfaction Drivers That Improve Performance

Satisfied employees are more likely to stay, perform well, and create better customer experiences. But what actually drives employee satisfaction?
In this guide, we explore the 8 most important employee satisfaction drivers and how they influence retention, productivity, and engagement in the workplace.

Go to:

• What is employee satisfaction?
• The difference between employee engagement and employee satisfaction
• What impacts employee satisfaction?
• 8 drivers that keep employee satisfaction high
• The main benefits of satisfied employees
• Guide: 8 steps to improve your employee experience in year 1
  
  

What is Employee Satisfaction?

Employee satisfaction is a term used to describe how satisfied employees are with their workplace, employee experience, the organization, the working environments, etc. Satisfaction is about to what extent the employee enjoys their job.

Employee satisfaction and employee engagement are closely related, but they measure different aspects of the employee experience. If you want a clear definition of the latter, start with our guide to what employee engagement is. 

Job satisfaction reflects the employee’s feeling of belonging and attachment to his or her job and the organization in general. In other words, job satisfaction is the result of an individual comparison between the present conditions at work and expectations of a good working life.

Typical survey questions on satisfaction could be:

• Overall, how satisfied are you as an employee at COMPANY?

• Imagine a workplace that is perfect in all aspects. How far from or close to this ideal do you consider COMPANY to be?

The Difference Between Employee Engagement and Employee Satisfaction

Employee satisfaction and employee engagement may seem like two very similar terms, but they are actually quite different. To drive productivity and build a strong workforce, it is important to understand the difference between these two.

The Definition of Employee Satisfaction

Employee satisfaction is “what can the organization do for me?” Can I have a weekly day off, leave at 2 pm or work remotely? On the contrary, employee engagement is more like a partnership between the employee and the organization, meaning “What can we do together to succeed?”

Employee satisfaction refers to the extent to which employees are content or pleased with their work and environment.

Employee satisfaction is about the extent to which the employee feels that his/her desires and needs at work are fulfilled.

Key characteristics of employee satisfaction include:

1. Contentment: Reflects the degree to which employees feel their needs and expectations are being met.

2. Reactive: Employee satisfaction is often a response to specific factors or events at the workplace.

3. Focus on outcomes: Satisfaction is typically influenced by factors such as compensation, work-life balance, and job security.
   
   

The Definition of Employee Engagement

Employee Engagement refers to the emotional connection, involvement, and commitment employees have towards their work and the organization. It is more related to the greater mission, cooperation, and succeeding as a business. 

Key characteristics of employee engagement include:

1. Emotional commitment: Engaged employees feel a strong sense of connection and commitment to their work and the organization.

2. Proactive: Employee engagement is driven by intrinsic motivation and a desire to make a meaningful impact.

3. Focus on experiences: Engagement is influenced by factors such as meaningful work, opportunities for growth, recognition, and a supportive work environment.

That means employees may be satisfied with the working conditions, but may not necessarily be engaged in their work.

And that can be a problem for the organization, because satisfaction may be enough to retain the employees, but it will most likely not be enough to tap the full potential of an employee’s productivity and ultimately becomes a waste of resources and money in the organization.  

If your focus is specifically on motivation and commitment rather than satisfaction, explore the eight key drivers of employee engagement and how to prioritize the drivers that matter most in your organization. 

What Drives Employee Satisfaction?

Before you can work with employee satisfaction, you need to know what impacts it. The most important thing that impacts your employee satisfaction is the job and all that it entails. To what extent are the job tasks interesting? Are my competencies being used in the best way?

Other aspects that impact employee satisfaction are:

1. Recognition and appreciation: 

   We know that it is very important to make sure that your employees feel valued and recognized for their effort and contributions in your organization. To practice this, you can ensure regular feedback, recognition programs or bonuses.

2. Opportunities for growth and development: 

   Employees also want to feel that they are growing professionally and that their careers are advancing. We recommend that you provide opportunities for any kind of training and extra education.fifi

3. Work life balance:

   This one is more important than ever. Over and over again, we see how important this is when we talk to our customers. Employees want to have a flexible life, meaning that work can be done anytime and anywhere, depending on the employee's personal life. Work is an activity – not a location.

4. Positive work environment: 

   The work environment and the culture you have in your organization can be toxic if it is not healthy. Or it can be a huge driver for your employees' satisfaction if it is positive, open, and inclusive. Your employees want to work in an environment that is supportive, collaborative and positive. Focus on teamwork, open communication and a sense of community. You may also focus on creating a sustainable work environment.

5. Autonomy and decision-making authority: 

   Do your employees feel they have control over their work? If not, it is important that you change that. Because your employees will be more satisfied in their work if they have the autonomy to make decisions that impact their role and responsibilities.

8 Drivers that Keeps Employee Satisfaction High

Employee satisfaction is influenced by many of the same workplace factors that shape employee engagement, including leadership, job content, working conditions, cooperation, remuneration and opportunities for development.

Ennova’s GELx framework examines eight key drivers. Their importance varies between organizations and teams, so rather than treating all drivers equally, organizations should identify which factors have the strongest relationship with their results.

Explore the eight key drivers of employee engagement and how to prioritize them.

To understand which drivers matter most in your organization, you need more than an overall satisfaction score. An Employee Engagement Survey can help identify the factors behind the results and show where leaders should focus their attention. 

The Main Benefits of Satisfied Employees

When you succeed in having satisfied employees in the organization, you will experience a number of benefits that will strengthen your organization.

The three main benefits of satisfied employees are:

• Higher retention:
  Satisfied employees are less likely to leave your organization, which means you will experience a lower turnover. That is very beneficial because with a high retention, you will reduce the costs associated with recruiting and training new employees.

• Increased productivity:
  Satisfied employees are typically – but not always – more motivated, engaged, and productive, which will result in better performance in your organization.
  

• Better customer service:
  When your employees are satisfied, they are more likely to provide better customer service, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.