Employees Have $$ on their Minds in Surveys

A news release from HR Solutions Inc. said its recent analysis of recurring themes in employee surveys showed workers most often pegged richer salaries as the area in which they most wanted to see a change.

In descending order, the list also included:

• Internal pay equity, particularly having concerns with “pay compression,” the differential in pay between new and more tenured employees).
• Benefits programs, particularly health/dental, retirement, and Paid Time Off/vacation days. Specifically, many employees feel their health insurance costs too much, especially prescription drug programs.
• “Over-management” (A common phrase seen in employee comments is “Too many chiefs, not enough Indians.”)
• Pay increase guidelines should place greater emphasis on merit.
• The Human Resource department needs to be more responsive to their questions and/or concerns.
• Favoritism.
• Improved communication and availability (both from their supervisors and upper management).
• Workloads are too heavy and/or departments are understaffed.
• Facility cleanliness.

The job satisfaction study included more than 2.2 million respondents with 2,100 organizations representing various industries, surveyed during the past three years by HR Solutions.