According to various studies, one of the main reasons employees quit their jobs is because they do not feel valued or satisfied. Herzberg’s motivation theory backs this up, as it states that there are certain factors that cause job satisfaction and one of these is valuing and appreciating employees. Everyone longs to be valued in any organization they work in and this is a key factor that improves an individual’s productivity level and success of a company.

The term ‘value’ in this case means to think ultimately of a person, appreciate and respect them in a manner that makes them comfortable to work, thus improving employee engagement and performance. This will eventually lead to employees contributing to the growth of a company or business.

On the other hand, when employees are not valued or appreciated, the reverse happens. Besides customers, a company’s most important asset are its employees. This is because, they are the ones who render services to customers so they have to be treated well. If they are not treated well, employees may lose confidence in themselves and this would affect their performance on the Job.

Tips on Creating a Comfortable Work Environment

• Avoid unhealthy competition between employees.
• Avoid double standards between employees. Treat everyone equally.
• Correct employees in a polite way if you notice they are not doing things properly.
• Appreciate employees and try as much as possible to thank them once they have done a given task well.

Some of the benefits a company can derive from valuing employees and creating satisfaction are:

Increase in Efficiency and Growth of Employees

Employee satisfaction will always result in employees being more productive and effectively adding value to the company they work in. All employees want to grow within a job environment and when they are valued, it would boost their morale and make them perform better at work while growing and gaining experience.

Retention of Outstanding Employees

When employees feel satisfied with their job, there is a tendency to stay and grow within the organization. However, the reverse happens when employees are undervalued, especially when they are aware of the expertise and experience they possess. They will want to go to a better place where they can contribute more and feel more appreciated. When this happens and the number of employees leaving an organization increases, it becomes costly for a business. Companies spend more on recruitment, therefore, losing potential and more experienced talent who would have contributed to the success of the business.

Heightened Employee Loyalty and Trust

Employees who feel valued at work add more and do better with their tasks. They are more engaged and this consequently creates room for more loyal employees who are passionate about their work and have positive interactions with their colleagues. Employees become more devoted to the success of the company once there’s loyalty and trust.

Success for the Organization

A work culture were employees are actively involved and respected enables employees become more committed to attaining excellence at work.  There is the notion that customers are always right, which is true. When employees are satisfied and treated well, it leads to customers being satisfied with the services provided because they will be treated well by employees. It’s basically a cycle. Eventually, this would boost company morale, enhance productivity, reduce cost and thus drive revenue for the company.

All this points to the fact that there can be no customer satisfaction and business growth without employee satisfaction. In Access Bank, we value our employees and always want them to be satisfied and grow within the company. Employees are our most precious assets and valuing them is key to us as well as our customers. Our employees being happy ensures our customers are happy!