In an increasingly competitive workplace, the concept of “emotional salary” is a key tool for organizations seeking to retain talent and keep employees engaged and satisfied. In my experience, however, I have found that many emotional salary strategies are outdated or not truly aligned with the expectations and needs of employees.
Discovering the Real Key
In my search for a competitive and differentiating emotional salary, I discovered that the answer is not an endless list of benefits, but a deep understanding of our team. In other words, the secret lies in knowing what each employee’s fundamental motivations are and how HR can meet those needs.
This approach allowed me to start thinking about a personalized emotional salary plan for each individual, creating loyalty that goes beyond the conventional.
Key Strategies for Emotional Salary 2.0
- Define tactics beyond the tangible: It is important to recognize that many employees are looking for more than just economic benefits. They are motivated by an environment that promotes emotional well-being, based on effective communication, recognition, professional and personal development, and empathy, among other things. Implementing policies that address these needs in a personalized way can make a difference in the perception of emotional salary.
- Improve reporting and measurement processes: It is essential to establish clear processes to accurately measure emotional salary. There is no point in implementing strategies that do not meet the needs of the employee. From observation and information gathering to ongoing evaluation, it is critical to ensure that our proposals are aligned with the real needs of employees. This allows us to constantly adapt and improve our approach.
- Shared responsibility: Building emotional salary is not the sole responsibility of the HR team, but is a shared responsibility with leaders. That is why I recommend focusing training on them as part of the emotional salary plan. You can offer the best benefits, but if you do not have leaders to promote and apply them, their effectiveness will be limited, and they will even lack value in the face of demotivation. Leaders are the first line, the reflection of the culture we want for our company.
More than Benefits
In a business world where we see clear examples of highly motivated teams taking advantage of emotional salary, as well as others where the lack of this strategy is reflected in demotivation, it is crucial to understand that Emotional Salary 2.0 goes beyond simple benefits.
The most important thing is to thoroughly understand your team and create a strategy that resonates with their needs and motivations. This is the real key to achieving loyalty and motivation that exceeds expectations.
Ultimately, Emotional Salary 2.0 is an ongoing commitment to listen, adapt and act across the organization.
