The survey involved various companies (car companies, banks, insurance, IT companies, faculties, pharmaceutical companies, hotels etc.) from the region of Southeast Europe.

84% of them think work and pleasure should go together and can be mixed, within certain, well-defined limits. Since most people spend a lot of time at work, the general belief is that work would be unbearable if it did not involve a certain amount of pleasure. They believe a happy worker is a better worker, more efficient and loyal, and more successful in dealing with daily tasks and overcoming any problems or obstacles at work.

A small percent (5%) thinks work and pleasure do not go together and that only extremely loyal co-workers with a strong character, who are very rare, manage to do so. The remaining 11% feels mixing work and pleasure is the result of sheer necessity brought on by the fact that the amount of time and effort needed to do one’s work, results in having to mix professional and private life even though the two don’t go together. They also point to employers who breach even the most basic norms of employment and by doing so take out every semblance of pleasure out of work.

Based on the survey results, we have made a list of the most frequent answers to questions about what it is that most boosts pleasure at work.

We have divided these answers into categories according to their significance for workers, starting with those that have greatest significance.

WORKPLACE ATMOSPHERE. Morning coffee with co-workers, a positive atmosphere, quiet music from the radio and working atmosphere, a pleasant working environment. A nice gesture from a co-worker, attention, humor, joking among co-workers. Good mutual cooperation and communication.

A DYNAMIC WORK ENVIRONMENT. New experiences, challenges, new projects, meeting new people, adopting new values.

RECOGNITION AND PRAISE. Awareness that others appreciate their work and effort, positive feedback and praise from partners / guests / satisfied clients.

POSITIVE WORK RESULTS. Successful completion of a project, visible results of invested effort, successful meetings.

TEAM SPIRIT. Team work and team functionality, a management nurturing dialogue with the middle management and other workers.

TRAINING AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT. The chance for professional training and education, assuming responsibility and authority, room for independent action and possibility to implement knowledge in actual projects.

EVENTS. Celebrations with co-workers, trips / excursions, out-of-city / country gatherings, attendance at various events.

SECURITY. Job security, regular agreed salary, close-knit work team, working conditions and functionality.

CREATIVITY. Ambitious and innovative tasks, opportunity to express creativity.

Company’s positive gestures and organized activities best remembered by employees are celebrations, team building activities and trips.

The celebrations listed are those around New Year, jubilees, Christmas, annual meetings, employees’ birthdays, successful business year end, Company Day, Women’s Day, employee childbirth events, retirement, etc.Trips include excursions, incentive trips, seminars, fairs, congresses, and conferences.

For instance, surveyed workers remember skiing trips in Austria, sailing on the Adriatic, a trip to the cave in Kras, water skiing in Poreč, an international employee football tournament, socializing with co-workers in the country and abroad… Employees also appreciate choice gifts with a personal touch, and the organization of receptions and cocktails by the owner or President of the Group.

Employees are very pleased when their work is appreciated, when they are treated with respect in their company and when this is clearly expressed.

• Public recognition / praise for successfully completed projects
• Understanding (when needed, during difficult periods)
• When the employer orders food or drink in times of excessive workload / overtime
• Financial reward
• Free use of company content for all employees
• Vacation bonus
• Business trip gift
• New Year’s packages
• Financial aid upon death of family member
• Closing event dinners with reminiscence of stellar and less stellar moments
• Sliding working hours
• Possibility of using the company car for private purposes

In the employees’ current situation, among the things that would positively affect their level of satisfaction at work, if we disregard salary as a key issue for everyone, are a good working atmosphere among co-workers, working environment, business trips, weekends, incentive travel, attendance at business, promotional, and educational events and lectures. These are the criteria which definitely have the greatest effect employee satisfaction at work.

• Better work organization, communication, and distribution of duties
• Understanding and support from the management
• An open-minded approach to new and modern ideas / support and development of creativeness and innovation
• Praise of good performance
• Possibility of career advancement
• Equal treatment for all employees
• Support and encouragement toward improved performance
• Adherence to what has been agreed
• Pleasant and neat working area
• Greater visibility of results
• Clearly defined working hours
• Childcare facilities at work
• Lower stress levels

M.M