Cathal Divilly
CEO, Great Place To Work & Rachel McLoughlin, Marketing Coordinator, Great Place To Work
Rachel McLoughlin
Marketing Coordinator, Great Place To Work
Unlock employee potential and discover how investing in growth boosts satisfaction, trust and engagement. Explore insights from Ireland’s Best Workplaces 2024.
At Great Place To Work, we are constantly examining how organisations are creating a Great Place to Work For All™ by focusing on adopting consistently high-trust workplace cultures. One hugely important aspect of a high-trust culture is empowering employees to develop and reach their full potential at work.
Employee growth for motivation
Most employees need growth to feel stimulated and challenged. If people leaders don’t acknowledge and act on this, their employees can lack motivation, experience burnout and feel generally unsatisfied in their roles.
At Great Place To Work, we see this firsthand from our data. Among the 120 organisations that made our annual ‘Ireland’s Best Workplaces’ list in 2024, 84% of employees agreed with the statement ‘I am developing professionally working here.’ Among organisations not certified by Great Place To Work, this statement resonated with just 59% of employees.
82% of employees agreed that their line manager
gives them regular feedback on their performance.
Fostering trust through development
Offering growth opportunities not only boosts employee satisfaction but also signals a level of trust in the employee and a commitment to their professional advancement. This trust is necessary for any organisation to thrive; it forms the bedrock of effective collaboration and communication among employees, as well as significantly boosting employee engagement.
Trust is also mutually beneficial within organisations; investing in employee development enhances job satisfaction and engagement, leading to higher retention rates. In turn, satisfied and engaged employees are more likely to be loyal to the organisation, reducing turnover costs and maintaining knowledge of the business.
Transparency and feedback support
During this period of learning and development, leaders must also remain transparent and provide regular feedback to help both employees and managers understand how well their learning objectives are being met. At Ireland’s Best Workplaces this year, 82% of employees agreed that their line manager gives them regular feedback on their performance, contrasting with just 55% among employees at organisations non-certified.
It can be daunting for anyone starting on a new path, and this feedback loop helps to allow for timely interventions, ensuring that employees stay on the right track and can tackle any challenges they encounter. Feedback can also serve as a powerful motivational tool; recognising and appreciating the effort employees put into their development not only boosts morale but also reinforces the significance of continuous learning within the organisation.