Everyone likes a high salary, but it isn’t worth so much by itself. The working conditions have considerable weight, since they directly impact employees’ quality of life.
I once worked for a business with a serious turnover problem. An endless stream of job postings was the norm as resignations flowed in.
But everybody liked working there. The mission and the tasks were stimulating.
Unfortunately, the working conditions weren’t interesting for employees and didn’t take into account everyone’s differing realities; work-family balance and employee well-being weren’t priorities.
Let me explain why offering competitive conditions is advantageous for you as an employer.
What Are Working Conditions, Anyway?
Let’s start by defining the concept of working conditions.
Generally speaking, working conditions are how employees go through their days at work or in the course of their jobs. They include:
- The conditions of the work environment itself, i.e., potential hazards, climate, noise, grueling or physically demanding tasks, and so on;
- Scheduling, i.e., time off, leave management, vacations and flexibility; and
- All that’s done to improve employees’ quality of life, from insurance and RRSPs to activities, training, and more.
Now, why would offering good working conditions bring you value?
Staff Turnover Is Expensive
Ultimately, the goal is to make your employees happy, so their lives are easier and they experience less stress.
It’s no secret that employees who are happy at work are efficient, engaged and mobilized.
Happy employees are also ambassadors for their businesses. This is how staff loyalty is built.
Do you know GSOFT, one of the fastest-growing businesses in North America? Their CEO, entrepreneur Simon De Baene, made it his mission to put employee happiness above all else. He says it’s the best business decision he ever made! And that’s selling it short… in 2013, he hadn’t lost a single employee in 3 years.
Aren’t Working Conditions for Wealthy Businesses Only?
Have you ever thought that working conditions are all well and good, but that only wealthy businesses can afford them? Well, let me tell you that a high turnover rate costs way more than offering attractive working conditions.
But don’t take my word for it…
Staff Turnover in Numbers
Did you know that staff turnover is the single most expensive item for businesses? A 2016 case study was conducted on turnover costs in a sales-oriented business. The findings were shocking.
For the business under study, keeping a single employee trained and engaged for three years—as opposed to having two employees in the same position—represented whopping savings of $1.3 million.
This amount takes into account all the time and resources poured into the replacement process; we’re talking temporary replacement, postings, candidate triage, interviews, hiring, training, adaptation time, and so on.
Replacing the average employee is even said to cost employers 1.5 times the employee’s annual salary.
Countering the Labor Shortage
The current labor shortage is very real and has been going on for years now, so it’s only natural for businesses to be offering employee-oriented working conditions.
Bearing in mind that employees are spoiled for choice on the job market, how can we presume to attract them, and above all hold on to them, without delivering a superior quality of life?
Inspiring a More Person-Centered Management… by Leading by Example
Here at Agendrix, our raison d’être is inspiring a more person-centered approach to management. Our employees have access to collective insurance and an RRSP with employer contribution, multiple paid days off, 4 weeks of vacation from the get-go,
a flexible schedule, the possibility of teleworking, monthly team activities, and much more.
All those conditions, along with the pay, send a clear message: our employees matter to our employer.
The results? Our turnover rate is close to zero. We haven’t had a single departure since our debut in 2015.
Good Conditions for Everyone!
I’ve heard so many times that “good working conditions are for big businesses only.”
If you shared this opinion before reading this article, I hope you’re now convinced of the contrary. Happiness at work is the future on the job market, and it involves providing all workers with a good quality of life. Vacations, days off and a work-family balance plan are details for employers, but they make all the difference for employees. Your generosity is sure to pay huge dividends down the road.
