Do you love where you work? Whether the answer to the question is yes or no, the more interesting question is always why? What are the common issues that motivate us to love or hate our company. In some cases, we just don’t like what we do. Work that is tedious, simple, repetitive; interacting with angry people, delivering bad news to good people. An example – I stress apocryphal but often reported in the media and commented on, on camera, by those involved – is the very large number of unskilled jobs which are now done overwhelmingly by people who have come to the UK from eastern Europe – business owners have very often been seen on the BBC (other sources are available) saying that local indigenous people won’t work for the pay the employer can afford.

As an aside, to be addressed elsewhere, who decides what is “unskilled”? When I go to “that” well-known American coffee chain, the one with the green logo, I’m always served by someone who can work a machine that looks like a space station yet they’re paid, relatively, very little. Are they unskilled if they can manage a space station? I don’t think so. Is a doctor unskilled? In anybody’s book, no. But is a (sic) “clinician” who deals only with Botox equally skilled just because they have a sort of certificate? See where I’m going? Another day perhaps.

These “unskilled” jobs exist and in many cases, these jobs are required and often, the people in those jobs know this. Still, in return, they want to be told that their work is appreciated. They want to know the company is working hard to make their jobs easier whenever possible. The place where you work can also impact your psyche. People love clean, modern, and safe workplaces.

I remember in the 1980s when I started work with a well-known fast food chain, even then the pay was low unless you were a manager but as I thought back – ah the good old days! – I do recall that people who were on not much money, if I told them they’d done a great job, they were genuinely delighted. I just hope I always stayed the right side of condescension – if someone ever told me, even now, that I’d gone there, I’d be horrified.

Lighting, furniture, technology, the local area, the restaurants, transport – seem banal maybe but if you think about it, they all make coming to work each day harder or easier. And while a company can’t give you everything, employees appreciate when the company improves the work environment. Again, a personal tale but to highlight. I used to work, for a miserable 18 months, for a now-defunct value chain store. Their money was made on a stack ‘em high and sell ‘em cheap philosophy. This included having what colleagues often referred to – correctly – as “garbage” (maybe a little more colourfully) staff facilities – they were right and it ground us down. You develop a sense of “if they really cared………………”

Each of these has its own pluses and minuses for the employees and the company. Some companies and employees want minimal risk. Others prefer to motivate workers based on their recent performance; and some of that motivation is short or long-term, often depending on seniority – a CEO will often get long-vesting shares, a staff member at the “coal face” may have a longer break or a half-day every few weeks. Contextual, yes, but they work. So, it’s important to remember that some employees might prefer a salary rise whilst others might actively seek the risk and rewards that come with getting paid commission; and perhaps others would like some combination of the two. Perhaps employees desire some personal benefits – medical insurance, retirement packages.

Is the company willing to take care of your family? Will they assist with education expenses? Can you work from home? How much holiday will they provide you? Perhaps they give free food and coffee in the office. Maybe they have a gym – Apple or Google anyone?

(while I’m here, why did Google change itself to Alphabet when everybody in the world “Googles”? Very odd if you ask me but I may look into that separately – does a company name or brand / type affect your wish or desire to work there. Mmmmm, another post looming!)

There are multiple benefits a company can offer. But while some employees may love all of these, others may trade fewer benefits for more pay. I think it depends on age, demographics, job type and seniority. For example, my daughter – have I mentioned her previously? Thought so!! – is a critical-care nurse in a well-known London hospital. At 30, she is paid an unremarkable though reasonable salary and her own emphasis is on balancing spend with overpaying the mortgage. But if someone works in what many of us might – a little superciliously though totally unintentionally so – call a “dead-end” job, is it surprising that the focus for many, given that their pay is low anyway and so saving would be negligible, might be to live for the weekend?

The point I think is that there isn’t a black and white “right” or “wrong” – it depends on all of the above overlaid by each person’s “to me that’s a fantastic benefit; to me, not so good”

For some employees, job security is vital, especially for employees with families. A long-term contract and a steady wage may be better than wondering if they’ll be able to pay the mortgage next month. And while long term contracts may not be possible for everyone, when an employee knows that they work at a company that values stability, cares about employees and their families, and understands when workers need time off to care for themselves and a family member, that type of commitment and loyalty to employees is something that can create a special bond between the company and their employees – it makes people want to stay and the entirely cyclical effect is wholly positive: better treatment (and wider community awareness of it) = a likely better class of applicant = a continuously improving and stable business = continued trade = more scope for employee benefits = less staff turnover. I think I’ve just thought of the perfect business model – I wonder if I can patent it? Mmmm (again).

The very best companies want employees that are always getting better. Why? Because some employees get new jobs, some get promoted to better jobs in the same company. Eventually some will retire, and, on occasion, someone needs to be fired. Because of this, companies must not only develop all of their employees but look after them – value them – so that when someone leaves, someone else is ready to take over. And by mentoring and valuing employees, exposing them to new projects and giving them promotions, the company earns the trust of their best employees.

So, to go back, do you love where you work? Hopefully, now you not only know the answer, but you also know why. Developing a satisfied work force is tough to do but all business leaders should view it as essential. If you enjoy your work and where it’s based, hopefully now you appreciate how “good” (you define that) your company is. You stay = they have lower costs = they hopefully recognise that in some way = you stay =………………………..