Misco has presented the results of its first-ever National Employee Engagement Survey, a nationwide study that provides insights into how employees feel about their employment, how they view their work environment and how they generally feel at the workplace.
“We recognised the necessity to create this survey because numerous companies, for whom we facilitate employee engagement surveys, consistently request a comparison or benchmark with the local market,” said Joanne Bondin from Misco.
“This initiative is pioneering for Malta, and we urge employers to leverage this valuable insight when conducting their employee engagement surveys.”
The study among 593 full-time employed individuals aged 16 or older, covers employees’ perception of overall corporate culture, trust and team spirit, communication at work, their relationship with management, the work environment and wellness, opportunities for work-life balance, skills and abilities, learning and development.
“At Misco, we believe in the importance of prioritising the well-being and satisfaction of our workforce and through this survey, we wanted to understand the significance of employees’ sentiments by delving into their perceptions of corporate culture, trust, communication and various facets of their work environment,” Nadine Cilia said.
Among other results, the survey showed that 85% of respondents see a clear link between their work and the company’s results, 89% agreed that they have a good understanding of their company’s core values, while 80% were found to be generally satisfied with their employment.
While 78% expressed their view that they “look forward to coming to work”, another 82% also agreed that their workplace offers them a safe environment.
Seventy-one per cent of respondents said they consider their work to be very important, but a slightly higher percentage of Gen Z individuals was more likely to consider work as not so important. Additionally, males seemed to prioritise work slightly more than females.
We urge employers to leverage this valuable insight
Asked about the qualities they find important when choosing a job, an outright 77% mentioned a good salary, 60% said good working conditions, 34% mentioned good working hours and 30% referred to growth opportunities. Only 27% mentioned job security, while 23% mentioned family-friendly measures. Other qualities chosen included a non-stressful job (15%), the opportunity to take initiative (11%), work with positive social contribution (11%) and job responsibility (6%).
Dealing with communication and opportunities for growth, the survey found how 71% feel that their company provides them with all the support they need to develop further in their work, while 68% agreed that their current workplace promotes retention of staff.
A highlight among the findings is that only 40% of employees feel that their company keeps staff members well informed of matters that directly affect them.
While looking at growth opportunities, 74% of respondents agreed that their company encourages all staff to attend training and develop their careers, whereas another 74% also feel able to discuss their training needs and career advancement opportunities with their superior. And while younger respondents seemed more likely to receive encouragement to get training and develop their career, males were significantly more likely to be able to discuss training and career advancement when necessary.
More than half of the respondents said they feel that their job is stressful due to demanding tasks and lack of staff complement. Respondents who have been in their current employment for more than five years and are in a leadership role were significantly more likely to find their job continuously stressful.
Better compensation and better working conditions/benefits were the main reasons for respondents to seek employment elsewhere. When asked whether they had looked for another job in the last three years, 22% replied in the affirmative and 78% said no.
According to Misco, while 22% may seem insignificant in comparison to the majority represented by 78%, it’s important to acknowledge that this still encompasses nearly a quarter of the respondents, signifying a substantial portion of the surveyed population.
“An engaged workforce is the foundation of any company’s success and with this study, we hope to inspire employers to explore areas such as management relationships, work-life balance, and learning opportunities that can help them create an organisational culture that not only meets professional needs but also enhances their people’s overall job satisfaction,” Cilia added.
“We encourage companies to use this survey as a reference point to be able to compare their companies’ results with a national benchmark. This enables companies to assess how their organisation is fairing relative to the local market standards and overall national trends, as well as evaluating their company’s performance objectively,” she concluded.
For more information about the survey and to get a free copy of the report, contact Nadine Cilia on ncilia@miscomalta.com.