This year's report reveals that there is a moderate improvement in the employee-employer relationship, as the index moved up slightly to 100.2. The most positive results of the study are in the areas of productivity and training. This reveals that teamwork is thriving, and is important to both employees and employers. One of the most revealing results of the survey is the fact that employees are not motivated simply by pay. When asked if they would prefer more pay or a greater choice of benefits, the field was split.
Benefits appear to be increasingly important to employees.
Indeed, one-third of respondents say that, if given the choice, they would choose to adopt a flexible benefits program. This option ranks the most popular on a list of employer-paid programs that workers would like to have. Once again, this demonstrates that employers are looking for a working relationship that meets their individual and changing needs. One in five respondents say their company does not meet their expectations in creating a job environment in which they feel free from fear, intimidation and harassment. The disappointing results in this area could be attributed to the fact that we have emerged from an era of tremendous change in the work world and an economic downturn, which has evidently left many employees feeling uncertain about the stability of their jobs.