(PR in) HR Pulse | HR News Round-up: 16th September

Photo by Karolina Kołodziejczak on Unsplash

Why Employee Happiness comes down to HR-fostered Engagement more than Hybrid Flexibility

With 90% of employees preferring to work at least part of the working week from home, hybrid working has become the norm. However, this flexibility offered by employers isn’t everything when it comes to employee satisfaction.

Burnout rates have remained the same across employees working fully remote, hybrid and full-time in the office, but according to a US report from Workhuman and Gallup, the happiness of employees hinges more on good management, business practices and culture.

Senior research analyst Isha Vicaria say:
“work-life balance isn’t just about where you work but also about the culture that shapes how you work”.

One key component of employee happiness is employee recognition. Boosting morale can reinforce loyalty and a sense of belonging. Employees that believe recognition is an important part of their company’s culture is 4 times as likely to believe their employers care about their wellbeing and feel more psychologically safe and secure in their work.

CEO of HCM and Helios, Rick Hemmell, acknowledges that both managers and HR play a crucial role in driving employee happiness. From encouraging wellbeing initiatives to encouraging communication and promoting a positive work culture.

Read the full article in Worklife

80% Fail to Fully Utilise Workplace Benefits

Research from Robert Walters, a talent solutions firm, suggests that as many as 80% of professionals in the UK and Ireland aren’t taking full advantage of the workplace benefits available to them. 

Of the 3,000 professionals surveyed, 35% expressed dissatisfaction with their benefits plan.

Employers also took part in the survey, with just 21% fully understanding what benefits matter to their employees.

A growing disconnect between the communication between employers and staff could be leading to many organisations offering (and paying for) benefits that don’t align with the workforces needs.

Chris Eldridge, CEO of Robert Walters, warns;
“Employers’ failure to communicate or offer attractive benefits could impact their ability to attract and retain talent, as well as reduce employees’ overall productivity and engagement”

Further findings from the report found that 54% of employees believe benefits offered are a crucial factor to satisfaction and loyalty within their jobs and only 45% are happy with their current package.

Highlighting the importance of benefits in retention, some professionals indicated that they’d consider switching jobs with a lower salary if the benefits package was better.

Eldridge stressed the importance of maximising employee satisfaction and performance through benefits;
“Neglecting benefits or failing to invest in impactful options can hurt not just employee satisfaction but overall business performance”.

 Read the full story and how employers can improve their benefits package in HR Review