New research* has identified the biggest negative habits harming employee satisfaction, with employees turning to Google for advice on coping with a negative working environment:

Lack of career development opportunities
Over the last 12 months there has been a 200% increase in Google searches for ‘work progression’. Lack of progression and development opportunities at work can hinder employee satisfaction and motivation levels. For those employees who feel there is no more room to grow in their current role or opportunities to learn new skills this can negatively impact their wellbeing at work.

Employers should look to coach and develop their team’s skillset, building on each employee’s individual strengths so they can reach their potential. Encouraging your team to develop their skills supports employee wellbeing, resulting in an engaged and motivated team.

Poor recognition and reward systems
Google searches for ‘rewards in the workplace’ have increased by 67% over the last year. Workplace rewards and recognition act as an acknowledgement of an employee’s behaviour or actions and when used fairly can encourage motivation at work.

Financial incentives, access to health and wellbeing services and team activities are all examples of rewards. However, a reward does not always need to be financial to be beneficial. A simple thank you or sharing the news of an employee’s achievement can provide a team member with the recognition they deserve. For a rewards system to be fair and successful, employee recognition should occur regularly, with constructive feedback.

Limited access to health and wellbeing services
In the last 12 months there has been a 50% rise in Google searches for ‘health and wellbeing in the workplace’. Employers must place a greater emphasis on supporting their employee’s health needs. From medical and dental cover, access to mental health services such as employee assistance programmes (EAP) and promoting work life balance – there are lots of ways employers can provide health benefits. As a result, businesses will benefit from a healthy, happy and motivated workforce and may even find reduced absenteeism and lower staff turnover.

Micromanagement in the workplace
There has been a 40% surge in Google searches for ‘micromanagement at work’ since April 2021. Micromanagement describes a management style which closely monitors employees. From supervision over completing tasks to tracking working hours, micromanagement limits the level of autonomy employees experience at work. Micromanagement negatively affects employee wellbeing and can damage the level trust between employees and managers.

Negative workplace culture
Google searches for ‘workplace culture’ have increased 30% since April 2021. A company’s working environment can have a huge impact on employee wellbeing, job satisfaction and engagement. There are lots of factors than can influence a negative workplace culture, from lack of communication, a tense atmosphere, poor management and a lack of work-life balance. This can lead to higher staff turnover levels and impact your ability to attract and retain the best talent.

How to support talent retention in the workplace – according to Rachel Murray, Head of Employee Health and Wellbeing at Bupa
There are lots of factors that can harm employee wellbeing and satisfaction. Rachel Murray, Head of Employee Health and Wellbeing at Bupa shares five simple ways managers can boost their team’s satisfaction, employee retention strategy and attract new talent:

1. Make time for your team and provide feedback
Regular catch ups with your team give you the opportunity to discuss and review your team’s workload, check-in on their wellbeing and any career goals they may have. They can also help you to get to know your team members better, helping you to build trust and better understand when they might need help.

2. Provide training for business leaders
Business leaders play an important role in shaping the day-to-day operations of a business that can impact employee wellbeing. Company policies, management styles and workplace culture are all influenced by business leaders. Education and adequate training can help you to be confident that business executives and managers are promoting a positive working environment.

3. Recognise your employees’ achievements
Taking the time to celebrate your teams’ successes can help to boost employee motivation and productivity. From a shout out during a team call, team wide email, or social event to recognise your teams’ achievements there are lots of ways to show your employees their work efforts are valued.

4. Provide access to health services
When thinking about employee attraction and retention it is important to place a greater focus on health and wellbeing. Businesses should look to follow a health-first approach to people management, ensuring employees have access to both mental and physical health support services. As a result, they will benefit from a healthy and motivated workforce with reduced levels of absenteeism and presenteeism.

5. Encourage open communication
Effective communication supports teamwork, collaboration and productivity at work and can reduce micromanagement in the workplace. It also helps to encourage a positive working culture in which all employees feel comfortable to be themselves and supported to perform their best work. As a manager, you can lead by example and encourage your team to make time to chat during the day to help them to feel connected. As well as asking and acknowledging your team for feedback.

*Research from Bupa UK