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APA Survey Explores Why Employees Stay with Employers; It’s Not Money

What makes employees happy at work? It's not just money.

A recent study by the American Psychological Association found that employees care about work life balance and finding work that they enjoy. Is your place of employment psychologically healthy?

Excerpt from report:

Despite uncertainty in the job market, an August 2012 survey by the American Psychological Association APA found that the top reasons working Americans say they are staying with their current employers are work-life fit and enjoying the work they do. Fewer employees cited concrete reasons such as benefits, pay or a lack of other job opportunities for remaining on the job.

The Workforce Retention Survey, which was conducted among employed adults ages 18 and older, examined factors related to employee retention. Though benefits 60 percent and pay 59 percent were important factors, more than two-thirds of respondents said they choose to stay because they enjoy what they do 67 percent and have jobs that fit well with other aspects of their lives 67 percent.

Age and gender accounted for some differences in why employees say they remain on the job, with women more likely to cite work-life fit than men 72 percent vs. 62 percent and employees over the age of 55 more likely to say they enjoy the work than employees in the 18-34 range 80 percent vs. 58 percent.

via APA survey explores factors related to employee retention.