BRIGHT SPOT IN NJ

Nearly 100 employers buck trend, boost employee morale

- LIZ ALTERMAN

Over the past year, surveys have found that workers are growing increasingly dissatisfied with their positions and their employers. From disappointment with their wages and benefits to frustration with lack of leadership, employees in the U.S. are unhappier with their jobs than they have been in years.

Energage’s Top Workplaces survey findings echoed those revealed in Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2023 Report, which polled 57,000 workers and determined that, following a 10% decrease from 2022 to 2023, job satisfaction scores plunged to their lowest point since early 2020.

Bob Helbig, media partnerships director of Pennsylvania-based employee engagement platform Energage, noted while employee enthusiasm is down across the nation, nearly 100 employers in New Jersey are getting it right.

“Working in the post COVID environment, the economy has remained pretty strong, and hiring has remained pretty strong, and in that environment, companies are challenged to retain and attract great employees,” Helbig said. “Top Workplaces know how to do that. They are better equipped to have better cultures, to show appreciation, to create a people-first culture where people feel motivated, where everybody is moving in the same direction and the mission is clear. That's as important as it's ever been in terms of recruiting and retaining talent.”

Energage, an employee-research and consulting company, invited 7,152 companies across the Garden State to participate in its annual Top Workplaces survey. Of those, 138 responded, tying last year’s record high. More than 50,000 New Jersey employees were surveyed, with 49.5% responding. Based on Energage’s analysis of those employee surveys, a record 98 companies were identified as Top Workplaces, up from 83 one year ago.