Written by Sam Dow | 22nd January 2025

Over the past few years, we’ve seen a significant shift in employee expectations. The challenging economy has impacted not just individuals but the organisations they work for, creating a need for businesses to adapt and recognise employee needs.

For employers and HR leaders, understanding what matters most to employees is essential.

It’s not just about keeping your best talent – it’s about building a thriving workplace where everyone can perform at their best.

Here, we explore five priorities our clients say employees are highlighting now and what employers can do to meet those needs.

Well-trained managers

Managers are carrying more responsibility than ever, from overseeing hybrid and remote work to ensuring team engagement, morale, and productivity. But without the right training and support, this workload can lead to burnout – not just for the managers themselves but for their teams.

Strong managers are essential to your organisation’s success. They work closely with employees at every level, shaping team culture and driving performance. Yet, a survey by wellbeing platform Unmind revealed that 40% of UK employees don’t believe their managers are adequately trained or skilled for their roles.

Prioritising ongoing management training is crucial, not just one-off training sessions. Managers need continuous development, such as personalised coaching and mentoring programmes, to build confidence, navigate challenges, and grow their leadership skills and behaviours.

At Reality HR, we specialise in bespoke management training solutions designed to help managers thrive. By fostering self-awareness, improving communication skills, and offering practical tools to lead effectively, we empower managers to support their teams and contribute to organisational growth.

Mental health and wellbeing

While the stigma around mental health is perhaps not as present as it used to be and many organisations have acknowledged wellbeing as an important issue, there’s still an expectation for employers to do more. Employees cannot perform at their best unless they are physically and mentally healthy.

In 2024, stress, depression, and anxiety accounted for 16.4 million lost workdays in the UK, and presenteeism (working while unwell) costed the economy a staggering £25 billion in lost productivity. Employees who work while sick struggle to perform, delay their recovery, and risk spreading illness to others in the team.

To truly support employees’ wellbeing, a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work. Employees bring unique experiences and challenges to the workplace, so support must be tailored to their needs. For example, flexible working options, support for menopause and neurodivergence, and resources to help employees manage personal challenges like financial difficulties or long-term illness can make a significant difference. Don’t forget how work can impact wellbeing too; continually high workloads, unreasonable deadlines, poor working relationships and extremes like bullying and harassment are just some things a manager should be aware of to create a mentally healthy workplace.

A Wellness Action Plan is a document that every employee – whether they have a mental health problem or not – can use to help them and their managers identify problems before they escalate, and to tackle them when they appear. Additionally, training Mental Health First Aiders can equip your team to spot early signs of mental ill health, to listen empathetically, and to guide colleagues to professional support. We recommend upskilling line managers in the same way, and the benefits of these initiatives are clear – a 2024 study from the University of Nottingham found that mental health training for line managers is strongly linked to better business performance. Organisations that invest in mental health training for managers see improvements in recruitment, retention, customer service, and reductions in long-term sickness absence.

Any of your employees could become a Mental Health First Aider but in choosing, look for individuals who are good listeners and who have empathy and compassion. For more about the benefits of Mental Health First Aiders, read our blog.

As St John’s Ambulance declare 2025 as the “year of holistic workplace health”, it’s clear that many organisations could benefit from updating their first aid approach to include mental health first aid and mental wellbeing.

Learning and development opportunities

Investing in employee learning and development is one of the most effective ways to show your team you value them, while also creating opportunity for career progression (and potentially higher pay grades) at a time when general pay rises are difficult for employers to afford. A national survey found that 70% of employees say access to training and development opportunities influences their decision to stay with a company.

Unfortunately, a lack of these opportunities has the opposite effect, particularly for younger employees. A survey by CYPHER Learning revealed that 77% of workers believe their organisation’s learning and development offerings could be improved, and 37% have considered leaving as a result. Among 18-34-year-olds, this figure rises to 44%.

By offering ongoing tailored learning programmes, from group workshops to individual coaching, you can retain top talent and build resilient employees. Whether upskilling or reskilling employees or focusing on leadership development, the right programmes show your commitment to your employees’ growth.

We can help you design and implement a learning and development offering that aligns with your business goals while meeting the needs and goals of your people.

Appropriate benefits and listening to employees

While mental health support and learning opportunities are critical, traditional benefits and compensation still play a major role in employee retention. But it’s not just about the money – employees value benefits that are tailored to their needs.

With today’s cost of living challenges, pay will be an important aspect of work for many employees, and if they feel it is not fair or competitive, they can become demoralised, unproductive or even look to leave. Regular market benchmarking will ensure the pay you offer is at the right level.

Benefits also form part of the package, and the more specific and personalised the benefits, the more committed employees might be to work. Alongside traditional benefits, consider offering others such as volunteering days, mental health days to recharge and prevent burnout, childcare support to ease family pressures, travel insurance, time off for appointments, or the option to buy (or sell) holiday. Many employees will value and be motivated by performance-related rewards such as bonus schemes or informal gifts such as vouchers or an extra day off after a particularly busy period.

Listening to what employees value is key here, as everyone is different. Create opportunities for employees to give their feedback on what you offer, through regular pulse surveys or suggestion schemes. Personalised incentives will help retain and motivate an employee by showing that a company has taken the time to understand their needs and wants.

Positive and welcoming culture

Creating a positive workplace culture is about more than offering perks, it’s about fostering a psychologically safe environment where employees feel valued and heard. A culture where individuals can speak up and share ideas and worries, take risks and make mistakes, and be themselves without fear of judgment is essential for engagement and innovation. With the introduction of the Worker Protection Act last year, there is now more focus on having safe ways to report issues in the workplace that lead to swift resolution to eliminate poor behaviours. Reality HR are working with many organisations to help them interpret the new law and apply it appropriately in their workplace.

Sometimes organisations fall short in this area. A positive inclusive culture doesn’t happen by accident, it requires effort, clear two-way communication, and effective leadership. Culture is built on the actions and behaviours your organisation tolerates, and so your managers need to be confident and well trained to act as positive role models for your values and desired behaviours, to tackle any issues quickly rather than ignore it and hope it doesn’t happen again.

To help you assess and strengthen your culture, we have put together a guide and check list. If you would like support in establishing and maintaining a positive culture in your organisation, our team can help.

If you have any questions about the topics we’ve covered here, or would like support improving employee engagement and retention in your business, please get in touch with our team at [email protected].