The 4 types of workers and how to retain them

Understanding the unique perspectives and driving forces of your employees is essential for efficient management of your workforce.

In our latest research on workplace well-being, we have discovered there are four distinct types of employees, that are present across all industries.

Each group possesses their own set of values, attitudes and motivations that shape how they behave in the workplace. By identifying which category your employees belong to, you can better cater to their needs and establish effective strategies to retain them.

Now, let’s explore each category and discuss the strategies you can use to keep your workforce enthusiastic and driven.

The four distinct types of workers, according to our research:

• Job Lovers (29% of workers): the epitome of passion and dedication in the workplace, they love their job and aren’t going anywhere.
• Job Opportunists (57% of workers): those who genuinely like their jobs but are open to other opportunities.
• Unhappy Stayers (10% of workers): these individuals are discontent with their current jobs but aren’t quite ready to leave just yet.
• Eager Leavers (4% of workers): these workers hate their job and are itching to leave.

How to keep your Job Lovers happy and engaged.

Top Priorities: Flexibility, relationships with colleagues, want to be proud of their accomplishments.

While they are unlikely to leave their current role it’s important to recognise and understand what their needs are at work to ensure ongoing happiness. To reference Kim Scott, are they a rock star or a superstar? Meaning are they content in their current role, or do they need to be challenged? Regular check-ins will help you understand their evolving needs and provide the necessary challenges to keep them motivated.

It’s also important to remind your job lovers of the importance of their work and point out exactly how they are making a difference. This group is most likely to be the most passionate about their work, so they take great pride in what they do, so a little bit of encouragement can go a long way!

Give your Job Opportunists a reason to stay.

Top Priorities: Competitive salary and benefits, flexibility, professional development opportunities

If a better offer comes their way, a job opportunist will not hesitate to say yes. But you need to find out why? Are they bored with their regular duties or maybe they need a new challenge. Initiate conversations to understand their aspirations and current priorities.

If they are seeking new challenges, identify what growth opportunities there are in your organisation. And while it may be tempting for them to accept better offers elsewhere, as it sounds easier to leave your job than ask for a pay rise, emphasise their value to the team and consider offering pay raises or bonuses to reward their contributions.

Hospitality employers listen up, our 2023 Feel Good Index reports a massive 66% of employees in the hospitality industry classify themselves as job opportunists!

Change the attitude of your Unhappy Stayers.

Top Priorities: Competitive salary and benefits, flexibility, supportive leadership

With the top priority of this group of Unhappy Stayers being ‘competitive salary and benefits,’ they’re potentially staying in a role they don’t necessarily ‘love’ for the financial stability it provides.

The key to retaining your Unhappy Stayers is to identify and remove “the pebble in their shoe”. Find out what’s making them unhappy in their role, then you can make changes to help transform their perspective. Left unmanaged, their discontent can be detrimental to overall team morale. However, employees will only be open about what’s making them unhappy if there is a good employee/- employer relationship. Therefore, it’s important to foster an open relationship to encourage honest communication about their concerns. By addressing their grievances and improving their working conditions, you can shift their perspective and transform them into more satisfied employees.

Most of the unhappy stayers identified in our 2023 Feel Good Index Report are working in the Construction industry (11%), followed closely by Education workers (10%)

Learn from your Eager Leavers.

Top Priorities: Competitive salary and benefits, supportive leadership, reasonable workload, flexibility

While your Eager Leaver’s decision to depart may already be set, consider their departure as a valuable learning opportunity. Take the time to understand their reasons for leaving, such as workplace culture, excessive workload, or other factors that can be improved. By analysing their feedback, you can revise your retention strategies and improve overall tenure.

Additionally, reflect with them on the support you provided during their tenure and the skills they will take with them as a result. This will highlight to them the positive experiences of working with you, hopefully encouraging them to remain brand ambassadors.

Retail employers, most of our eager leavers are currently working in your industry (6%)!

What else is currently keeping employees satisfied in the workplace?

Understanding the unique needs and motivations of your employees is essential for effective workforce management. Knowing where your employees sit into the four distinct types allows you to customise your strategies and identify when they require additional challenges or development, or support in exiting the organisation.

If you’re interested in gaining deeper insights into the factors that contribute to employee satisfaction in the workplace, we invite you to download our recent Feel Good Index report. Empower your organisation with valuable insights and adopt a proactive approach to effective workforce management.