The average person spends about 90,000 hours or almost one-third of their lives at their workplace, dedicating most of their productive times to the companies where they work. Various studies revealed that the performance of employees, who are a valuable human resource of any organization, depends not just on their abilities but also to a healthy working environment.

There are a lot of factors to consider on what makes an organization a great place for work: competitive and fair compensation, rewards and recognitions, career progression, professional opportunities, positive culture, workspace design, and infrastructure, among others. More than the company’s brand and reputation, these factors are what job seekers consider when looking for a work, where they will settle for at least 40 hours a week.

In fact, according to a survey conducted by recruiting site Glassdoor, five most useful pieces of information that job seekers want to learn directly from employers are: details on what makes the company an attractive place to work (76%), details on the compensation package (70%), details on the benefits package (62%), an overview of the company mission, vision and values (60%), and basic company information (55%).

In another report, Glassdoor says that 95% of organizations believe that being dubbed as a “best place to work” help them recruit top talents. So, to determine what it takes to make the cut, Glassdoor analyzed the winners of its annual Employees’ Choice Awards and came up with top five traits that make the company a best place to work.

First, employees want an environment where people enhance the company culture and contribute to its positivity. To maintain this principle, the site suggests to have a high hiring standards and don’t let candidate quality be sacrificed in an effort to fill positions.

Listening to what employees are saying comes next. “When employees feel like their opinion matters, they are more likely to feel a part of something bigger and more meaningful. The best companies send company surveys and close the loop on their strategy to fix existing problems,” Glassdoor says.

Employees also want a workplace where there is an opportunity to grow and develop. Organizations who encourage learning are appreciated more by employees. Sending employees to trainings keep employees engage to new challenges and career opportunities as well. And as the site noted, companies with engaged employees outperform those without by up to 202%.

Leaders also matter. Employees want a leader who has a clear vision for the future, strong leadership skills, motivates employees, and who has a personable and approachable appeal. “A company where the CEO is only one call or email away feels more personable compared to a CEO hidden away behind closed doors,” the site says.

Lastly, employees want to be recognized for the work they are doing. Employers can offer incentive whenever the employees did a great work. This allows them to enjoy what they do and feel like they are a valuable asset to the company.

Meanwhile, full-service Human Resource solutions provider HR Affiliates says in its Web site that there are many ways to assess a workplace, but a great place to work is one that inspires the passion of workers and allows them to use their talent.

“Workers are motivated more by what they do and who they work for or with. They work for more than the typical reasons.  They want to grow, nurture and apply their skills and knowledge in ways that enable them to consistently produce excellence. That’s how today’s work force defines a great place to work.”

In order to adapt to the ever-transforming business world, employers need to create a work environment which can be considered by the team as one of the best places to work. This would let employers maintain and acquire good talents, who are a vital factor to keep the business run.

According to HR Affiliates, employers need to prove to their employees that their company can be a good outlet in sharing their observations and ideas. Employees should feel that supervisors do not simply collect ideas and do nothing with them, they should feel that they also care for them.

Employers should also support and supply employees the necessary tools that would help them perform their job well. There should be adequate supplies and equipment to meet the employees’ needs, and they should feel that their workload is manageable and that they have enough staff as well.

HR Affiliates also notes that employers should develop a workplace where each team members lives to the culture of teamwork. “The environment should be safe, where they can ask for help and learn from mistakes with leadership support. When conflicts do arise, employees want the issue addressed fairly and without favoritism,” the firm explains.

And going back to the bottom line of the business, employer should convey to their employees that they must believe to the company’s mission, vision and values. Each employees should understand how their job contributes to the mission of the company. And, the vision needs to be “sold” throughout the employees so they can see a goal they can work toward. — Mark Louis F. Ferrolino

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