Benefits That Really Matter: What Females Want

A shift is taking place in workplaces across America. Women are repositioning their careers in and in the process, are looking for something different. Do you offer the benefits that they want?  

A logical first step is to understand which benefits women, and many times men, want. To answer this question, I conducted research, a qualitative phenomenological study, in 2009.  From this independent research, five major themes emerged. You can provide your employees with many of these benefits, often at little or no cost.

Concern for Family Responsibilities

Nearly a third of the women interviewed cited concern for family members as catalysts for job change. They wanted options that would allow them to tend to spouses, children, and parents. Approximately 25 percent of those expressing concern for family members would have stayed with a previous employer if more options had been available to them. Consider offering your employees time to address family needs. Workplace options that promote a balanced, healthy family life will also help you retain employees.

Desire for Increased Flexibility and Control

Nearly half of all women who left their positions expressed a desire for increased flexibility and more control over their work including their work schedule. Many employees are interested in compressed work weeks, flexible hours, and telecommuting options. Recently I spoke to a male employee in his late 20’s. He was working late into the evening and I asked him if he was tired and wanted to go home. “No way!” he responded.  “I get into my zone late into the day and my productivity spikes. I’d rather work tonight and be able to have Thursday morning off to play golf. It’s good for me and it’s good for [the company].”

In addition to flexible work schedules, giving employees control over work assignments can also improve your ability to retain employees. If how the work completed is less important than the end product, consider giving your employees more freedom to determine the process they want to use to complete a task or work assignment.

Interest in Another Career

Twenty-five percent of the women interviewed cited interest in another career as reason for their exodus. Many of these women were ready for a major shift in their type of work so it is possible that employers would have had difficulties keeping these employees regardless of what they would have done. Still, this makes a case for allowing employees to move from one area to another or one job assignment to another. A move from production to marketing might be what keeps one employee engaged while an opportunity to learn a new skill might be enough for you to retain another. Cross-training also gives an organization more depth so everyone benefits.

Lack of Support

Nearly one quarter of the women interviewed cited lack of support as a determining factor when they decided to leave their positions. Often supervisory support was listed as a concern although in some cases support at home was listed as a concern. Providing employees with a supportive work environment where the employee feels valued can be the difference between a content employee and an employee who is not engaged.

The Business Environment

Dissatisfaction with the environment in their places of business caused at least 25 percent of the women interviewed to eventually leave their positions. Some of the women interviewed explained that desire for increased security played into their thought process regarding an exodus. Employees want to feel secure. Although employers may be limited in what they can offer employees in the way of security, increased communication and an overall sense of stability can assist employers with this endeavor.
So what is the bottom line? Forty-five percent of those interviewed indicated there was something their employer could have done to make them stay. Forty-five percent – nearly half! What are you doing to make your employees want to stay?