Fitting in to their employer’s workplace style is more important to most staff than earning extra cash, according to new research.
A survey of 4,800 UK workers, by employment consultancy Reed Consulting, reveals that nine out of 10 respondents would actively choose a workplace culture that they fit into instead of a £1,000 pay rise.
Moreover, 91 per cent would choose to be in a culture that suited their own working style rather than being paid above the going rate – no matter how generous this was.
Such ’emotional fit’ at work is particularly important when it comes to staff retention, the study found.
Two out of every five workers say they have personally experienced cultures where their own workplace style clashed with that of the organisation. While half of the respondents would stay and try to make a success of a role, in spite of a misfit between their own style and that of the organisation, more than two out of five would plan to leave.
Separate research from HR consultancy DDI claims that almost half of UK employees leave their true selves at home and put on a ‘corporate mask’ in the workplace.
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The survey of more than 1,000 staff suggests that employees are caught between who they really are and who they have to be at work, with many admitting to ‘playing a part’ to fit in.
This is bad news for employers, as the research also suggests that staff who feel comfortable being themselves at work are on average four times more likely to be motivated than those that do not.
