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    1. Plant Operations

    Want to Make Employees Happy? Provide Good Pay

    May 14, 2014
    "Incomes have grown slowly since the recession, and that undoubtedly is having an impact on workers' priorities and one explanation for the leap to the forefront by compensation," said Evren Esen, director of SHRM's Survey Research Center.

    Moving from the third slot up to the first, employees are now rating pay as the top reason for job satisfaction.

    Sixty percent of employees rated compensation/pay “very important,” and 36% rated it “important,” making it the top contributor to overall employee job satisfaction—up from the No. 3 position in 2012,  according to a new study Job Satisfaction and Engagement: The Road to Economic Recovery, a SHRM research report released in May 2014.

    “Incomes have grown slowly since the recession, and that undoubtedly is having an impact on workers’ priorities and one explanation for the leap to the forefront by compensation,” said Evren Esen, director of SHRM’s Survey Research Center.

    The report draws on SHRM surveys of U.S. employees and HR professionals conducted in the latter half of 2013.

    Stephen Miller of SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management) reported that the study also found that employees rated the importance level of four compensation factors:

    • Being paid competitively with the local market. More than one-half (56%) of employees viewed this aspect as very important, and 57% were satisfied with it. 
    • Base rate of pay. 53% of employees felt this aspect was very important, and 63% were satisfied with it. 
    • Opportunities for variable pay (e.g., bonuses, commissions, other variable pay, monetary rewards for ideas or suggestions). Roughly two-fifths (43%) of employees said variable pay or differential pay was very important, and 45% were satisfied with it. 
    • Stock options. Less than one-fifth (17%) of employees viewed this aspect as very important; however, 41% of employees whose organizations offered stock options were satisfied with them.
    About the Author

    Adrienne Selko | Senior Editor - MH&L, IW, & EHS Today

    Adrienne Selko has written about many topics over the 17 years she has been with Endeavor Business Media and currently focuses on workforce development strategies. Previously Adrienne was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank.

    She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck? which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list. She is a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics, EHS Today, and IndustryWeek. 

    Editorial Mission Statement:

    Manufacturing is the enviable position of creating products, processes, and policies that solve the world’s problems. When the industry stepped up to manufacture what was necessary to combat the pandemic, it revealed its true nature. My goal is to showcase the sector’s ability to address a broad range of workforce issues including technology, training, diversity & inclusion, with a goal of enticing future generations to join this amazing sector.

    Why I Find Manufacturing Interesting: 

    On my first day working for a company that made medical equipment such as MRIs, I toured the plant floor. On every wall was a photo of a person, mostly children. I asked my supervisor why this was the case and he said that the work we do at this company has saved these people’s lives. “We never forget how important our work is and everyone’s contribution to that.” From that moment on I was hooked on manufacturing.

    I have talked with many people in this field who have transformed their own career development to assist others. For example, companies are hiring those with disabilities, those previously incarcerated, and other talent pools that have been underutilized. I have talked with leaders who have brought out the best in their workforce, as well as employees doing their best work while doing good for the world.