Why would employees value a work relationship over a payrise?

Work takes up a big chunk of our time and certainly many of us in the wellbeing space don't do what we do for a big salary. Being around people we find enlivening, calming and trustworthy can go so far in making a workplace feel like something we are choosing rather than having to do. A great work place culture speaks volumes and perhaps now, even louder than cold hard cash.

Our employees are much more engaged and motivated when recognized for their achievements rather than how much they are paid. We find that whilst pay is important alone it never really motivates people as it has little or no impact on motivation for anything other than a short period.

We do however find that linking pay to recognition is effective especially where individuals are paid a one-off bonus in recognition of a job well done. They will always work hard to strive to do their best where peer recognition is received.

Competition is also a factor within some of our employees and where they can be recognised as a top performer that people look up to again this works much better as a motivation tool than salary packages.

It's no surprise that lots of people end up meeting their spouses through work. When we commit to work, we dedicate a significant part of our lives and a huge chunk of our finite time. While people often work to pay the bills, it's the intrinsic rewards that lead to engagement and joy. It's no surprise therefore that relationships are so important to us at work.

When we build great, trusting relationships, it leads to richer debate, sharing of ideas and bolder steps which all benefit the organisation. Having someone who 'gets it' and is on your side helps you cope with the tougher days. We are still the same people, at work or at home, and it's often the people we surround ourselves with that bring out our best and help us to feel better about ourselves too. This can also help with overcoming imposter syndrome through sharing our experiences. And, let's face it, a great team dynamic and personal relationship can make work much more interesting, fun and rewarding.

The priorities for workers have changed, and will continue to; the pandemic shook up the idea of the grind for many, and instead highlighted the power and importance in working in a role you actively enjoy and with people who ultimately make your day better.

HR and employers will need to respond to this by reviewing their reward structures and benefits policies, to better reflect what their current and future employees will be seeking. This can be done through reviewing the policies of other employers in similar and also not-so-similar sectors, and also by conducting review panels within the organisation itself.

“Great relationships” at work are so much more than taking a 10 percent pay increase. We spend most of our time working, so spend a lot of time with work colleagues, so is more important to forge good relationships, which in turn creates a supportive environment, wellbeing is worth so much more, especially if you are in a company with multiple employees





But why?

And how might this impact employers/HR?

I'm noticing that more workers are becoming aware of the need to create more balance. Financial wellbeing is important and higher pay can be tempting, but this needs to be considered against four other important areas of well-being: community, social, physical and career wellbeing. Great relationships at work and a four-day week could enable more physical activity, nurturing of social relationships and more self-development. For employers, this could lead to more productive colleagues who feel valued, but I guess it all takes more effort to implement than simply offering a pay rise.

Nothing new here. Look at staff survey data and you will see almost always that money is one thing, satisfaction and motivation are another. Imagine two receptionists, same role, same pay, different companies - one greets you warmly and is engaged, the other is cool and disinterested - because it's about their relationship with the company, colleagues, manager, work culture not just what they're paid. Hybrid working makes it all a bit harder. Again, nothing new here, we've known this for some time, but it's all a bit more obvious these days. There's an amazing opportunity in all this for employers and HR to get it right and deal with what we've known for decades: people are motivated, engaged and more productive at work when they have great relationships and their time, energy and life boundaries are respected. It's all about their psychological contract, not just their pay.