With unemployment rates at historic lows, companies are more desperate than ever to recruit and retain good talent. According to a global survey by Workhuman, a provider of human applications, the answer to retention lies in meaningful work and creating a human-focused environment built upon trust, recognition, respect, gratitude, autonomy, and equity.
Key findings from The Future of Work Is Human, which surveyed more than 3,500 people in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Ireland, include:
1. 1 in 4 workers have felt discriminated against over the course of their career. More than half of all workers surveyed chose age as the top factor driving discrimination. However, discrimination is not the top reason people don’t feel safe at work. Employees ranked a toxic work culture as their top choice, followed by race/gender discrimination, and physical risks.
2. Recent, frequent recognition is associated with higher gratitude levels and lower stress levels. Workers recognized in the last month at companies that have been through a merger or acquisition in the last year are nearly twice as likely to trust in their company’s leadership team, compared to those who have never been recognized for their work (82% vs. 46%).
3. In the U.S., women surveyed in senior management or executive positions are more likely to receive a smaller bonus than men. And more than half of women surveyed in middle and front-line management positions say a manager has taken credit for their work.
4. More than half of all workers surveyed (51%) say their last work anniversary was not acknowledged. Workers said they would prefer shared memories and congratulations from co-workers and managers, as well as private and public congratulations from a manager.
5.The #1 perk reported as the most important by workers across all ages, regions, and industries is remote/flexible work (41%), followed by health-care coverage (27%).
To review the full survey, visit: https://www.workhuman.com/press-releases/White_Paper_The_Future_of_Work_is_Human.pdf