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5 Things All Employees Want. How Many Do You Offer? Leaders should pay close attention to the following needs their teams are afraid to negotiate.

By Eric 'ERock' Christopher

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

A study from Oxford University found that employees are 13 percent more productive when they are happy — even when their mood is affected by things unrelated to their job, such as the weather.

Many organizations have seen all too well what happens when workers are dissatisfied, while the job market continues to see record-breaking resignation rates, largely fueled by the hope of landing a better gig.

As an employer, you shouldn't wait for your team to ask for the things they want — because they might assume the benefits are never coming and quit.

1. A path to promotion

Managers are often unaware of their teams' goals and aspirations. Employees are often afraid to ask for a promotion or raise because they fear that the organization views them as replaceable.

To counteract this, leaders should give their workers a clear path toward promotion. Clearly lay out what needs to be done for a team member to earn a position with greater responsibilities. Even more importantly, when a worker fulfills this criteria, follow through on your promises.

Related: Here Is the Best Time to Ask for a Promotion

2. The right tools for their talent

All too often, employees aren't given what they need to complete their job as efficiently as they could. This can become especially frustrating when workers are told they need to do a better job, but then their requests for resources that would improve efficiency are denied.

Managers should actively seek input regarding which tools could assist them in their tasks. Simply telling an employee that a particular tool is not in the budget could send the message that they aren't a priority. Careful consideration of such requests — and understanding how they could improve productivity — will enable a stronger evaluation.

3. Better benefits

Fifty six percent of U.S. employees said that liking their health benefits is a key factor in deciding to stay at their current job. Workers expect health insurance, sick leave and other key perks to maintain the high quality of life that is crucial to productivity.

It's just as important to ensure that benefits are easy to understand.

"We've found that 66% of employees need help understanding their health coverage," says Guy Benjamin, co-CEO of Healthee. "A full 60% will delay or even avoid treatment because they don't know if their work plan covers their expenses...keeping your workers healthy is one of the most cost-effective ways to enhance your bottom line."

4. Respect

There are far too many instances where employees are mistreated and the business eventually finds itself subjected to lawsuits, (the controversy surrounding video game maker Activision Blizzard is just one recent example).

Harassment, bullying and other forms of mistreatment have no quarter in the workplace, but when such behavior comes from a manager, employees may feel they have no way to get the relief they deserve. This creates low morale and high turnover. Leaders should always be ready to assess their own actions to determine if changes need to be made.

Clear reporting mechanisms and support resources should be made available to all, without the risk of negative consequences for whistle-blowers.

5. Give them a break

After the shift to remote work, many employees find that the traditional 9-to-5 no longer applies. Emails and phone calls often come at all times of day, with the expectation that workers are always available to respond to any request.

Especially when considering a recent survey of 2,000 office employees, commissioned by Zimbra, in which 58% of respondents admitted their work emails were connected to a personal device.

While your team may not complain directly, blurring the line between work and home can quickly lead to stress and burnout.

As a study by the Academy of Management explains: "An 'always-on' culture with high expectations to monitor and respond to emails during non-work time may prevent employees from ever fully disengaging from work, leading to chronic stress and emotional exhaustion."

By providing the tools that your team needs to achieve the best possible results and giving them meaningful personal goals to work toward, they will be more motivated to give you their best efforts.

In today's competitive environment, retention is one area where no company can afford to fall behind.

Related: 3 Workplace Habits Every Entrepreneur Needs to Survive the 'New Normal'

Eric 'ERock' Christopher

CEO of BizFamousTM Media Group - Executive Producer - Entrepreneur

Eric Christopher, also known as ERock, is an innovative marketing strategist and respected business consultant who's a featured contributor on Entrepreneur.com, Business.com, Thrive Global, Huffington Post, and other major media outlets.

ERock has been a successful entrepreneur for nearly 2 decades. He graduated from Arizona State University with a 4.0 GPA, granting him Summa Cum Laude honors. 

He started his first brick-and-mortar business as a strength and conditioning coach, working with amateur athletes to Olympic gold medalists. He then started a part-time marketing business, which generated multiple 6-figures over the next half-decade. 

This experience ultimately evolved into a career as a branding, marketing, and media expert.

ERock is an accomplished writer, award-winning speaker, business strategist, and media consultant. He's described by his peers and clients as innovative, vivid, and quick-witted. 

His philosophy is that ALL branding and marketing must be educational, engaging, and entertaining in order to succeed in today's competitive business world. His passion is to invent unique and creative branding and media strategies that generate exceptional ROI and PR for clients.

He's consulted with a wide range of enterprises, including local business owners, national franchise chains, respected cryptocurrency companies, and world-renowned brands, including Shark Tank companies and an original Shark Tank investor.


ERock is also an accomplished business coach, having mentored thousands of entrepreneurs around the world, teaching them how to run successful businesses themselves.

ERock is the founder and CEO of (BizFamousTM Media Group - link: https://www.BizFamous.com), a media consultancy designed to promote large brands and enterprises and (Local Business Rockstar - link: https://LocalBusinessRockstar.com), a company dedicated to empowering small businesses in their markets.

Want to learn from the Sharks and other successful entrepreneurs? 

ERock is the Executive Producer and host of The BizFamous Show that is launching soon, (so feel free to subscribe to this brand new channel now - link: https://www.youtube.com/c/BizFamous?sub_confirmation=1)!

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

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