Workers Seek More Than Financial Compensation: The Importance of an Emotional Wage
In the ever-evolving business landscape, one voice stands out in championing a people-centric approach to success - Encarnacion Maroño Otero, VP of Human Resources at The Our Group.
According to a recent survey conducted by her department, titled "Exploring Workers' Professional Aspirations", salary, company atmosphere, and career opportunities are the top three workforce concerns. This finding underscores the importance of creating an environment that nurtures talent, where each person can participate and feel their voice is heard.
The survey also revealed a disconnect between what companies think workers want and what they actually want. While almost three quarters of the companies surveyed believe salary matters most to their employees, just over half of the workers say what they earn is their biggest concern. This discrepancy highlights the need for a shift in focus from financial rewards to fostering a sense of belonging and wellbeing.
Encouraging open communication and transparency is key to building trust and inclusiveness. Simple changes like an email from the CEO asking for feedback from teams can foster a sense of inclusion and belonging. Regular internal satisfaction surveys and providing opportunities for anonymous feedback can further reinforce this culture.
People are increasingly seeking non-financial benefits such as a sense of purpose, meaning, and belonging from the companies they work for. By prioritising employee wellbeing and development, promoting diversity and equity, recognising and rewarding contributions, and providing meaningful work and growth paths, businesses can retain talent more effectively.
Encarnacion Maroño Otero also emphasises the importance of making a company culture feel real and inclusive. She suggests implementing working groups to sense check new tools or changes before they are rolled out, as this can improve collaboration and team cohesion.
Building a people-centric culture means starting from the top, encouraging managers and leaders to take care of their teams as people, not just professionals. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of putting people first for businesses, and Encarnacion Maroño Otero's work at The Our Group is a testament to this philosophy.
In conclusion, Encarnacion Maroño Otero's approach to HR is rooted in putting people first. By prioritising employee wellbeing, fostering open communication, promoting diversity, recognising contributions, and providing meaningful work, businesses can create a culture that values its employees and fosters a sense of belonging. This, in turn, leads to increased productivity, engagement, and retention of talent.
- In her role as VP of Human Resources at The Our Group, Encarnacion Maroño Otero is advocating for a shift in focus from financial rewards to fostering a sense of belonging and wellbeing in the workplace, as revealed by a recent survey titled "Exploring Workers' Professional Aspirations".
- Encouraging diversity and inclusion, Encarnacion Maroño Otero suggests the implementation of working groups to sense check new tools or changes before they are rolled out, as this can improve collaboration and team cohesion.
- By prioritizing employee wellbeing, development, and mental health, businesses can create a culture that values its employees and fosters a sense of belonging, leading to increased productivity and engagement.
- Encouraging open communication and transparency is essential in building trust and inclusiveness, emphasized by Encarnacion Maroño Otero, as simple changes like an email from the CEO asking for feedback can foster a sense of inclusion and belonging.
- Encompassing personal-finance, career growth, workplace-wellness, health-and-wellness, mental-health, and diversity-and-inclusion, Encarnacion Maroño Otero's approach to HR puts people first, setting a strong example for leadership in businesses globally.