Employees list a feeling of being valued by their organisation as the main factor for keeping them engaged, motivated and satisfied.

94% of employees said a clear understanding of how their role helps an organisation achieve its objectives as an important factor in their job, according to findings in ‘Staff Engagement: Ideas for action’.

What’s more, 26% said they would look elsewhere if they did not have this understanding, and 51% said they ‘might’ look elsewhere.

65% said they would go above and beyond if they understood how their role helps the organisation achieve its objectives and a further 29% would ‘maybe’ do the same.

“Employees who understand what they are working towards feel a greater sense of purpose and that’s a powerful driver of engagement,” says Nick Deligiannis, managing director of Hays in Australia and New Zealand.

“They feel they are making a difference and are working towards something that matters. They’re also far more likely to support the organisation’s objectives because they understand them. They’re given ownership in the organisation’s success since they know what is expected of them and what their part is in achieving the desired outcome.

“In contrast, organisations that don’t communicate employees’ role in achieving organisational goals create an atmosphere of uncertainty where senior managers and executives are seen to rule from above. A ‘them and us’ culture is created,” says Deligiannis.

The top 12 ‘engagement factors’ rated by employees as important are:

1. A feeling of being valued by the organisation, 97%,
2. recognition of a job well done, 95%,
3. an understanding of how your success will be measured, 95%,
4. clear understanding of how your role helps the organisation achieve its objectives, 94%,
5. clear communication of the organisation’s objectives and strategy, 94%,
6. a feeling of inclusion, where differences are valued, 93%,
7. feeling like you have a voice and can share opinions, 93%,
8. seeing action taken as a result of feedback, 92%,
9. clear understanding of how your role contributes to the organisation’s success, 92%,
10. a good induction and on-boarding process, 91%,
11. regular learning and development opportunities, 91%, and
12. yearly salary reviews, 86%.

The new workforce also looks for work in organisations with purpose, and make a difference.

Related: Good advertising and product aren’t enough to engage loyalty from consumers or employees. Human-centric brands with focus on meaning and purpose driven leadership own the future »

“Employee engagement was traditionally driven by a good salary and attractive benefits, but today most people see these as a given,” Deligiannis says.

“Instead, they look at what an organisation is working towards and known for.”