The answer(s) might surprise you. Sure, money is important. Every worker wants—and deserves—to be paid a living wage. But it turns out that there is more to life than the almighty dollar.

Forbes recently reached out to Legion CEO Sanish Mondkar to dig deeper into what motivates hourly workers. Their conversation revealed the challenges these desires can pose for employers seeking to increase retention in a competitive employee marketplace. Because what hourly workers really want from their employers is not just money but a better work experience.

Make Work Feel Less Like Work

What factors contribute to a more rewarding work experience? According to Mondkar, Legion’s recently released 2024 State of the Hourly Workforce Report reveals that hourly employees want more schedule flexibility and input, greater recognition for their efforts and achievements, flexibility around how and when they are paid, and a work environment that supports and recognizes the importance of employee friendships.

Noting that Gen Z is especially fed up with their lot in the hourly workplace, Mondkar said, “If companies want to retain their employees and attract fresh talent, they have to be capable of providing these benefits.”

2024 State of the Hourly Workforce Report Reveals Worker Unhappiness

One of the more sobering findings uncovered by the report is that 41% of employees report that their companies “have not done anything to make my workplace better” in the past 12 months. It should come as no surprise that more than half of the employees surveyed say they are “very likely” to leave their jobs within the next year. For employees between 18 and 24, the number jumps to a startling 76%. The prospect of union participation is also becoming more appealing, with more than a quarter of hourly workers (27%) wishing they had access to a unionization effort.

Embracing the Personal Side of Technology

Employees value relationships with their peers and want to enjoy their work. Workforce management (WFM) technology facilitates a greater focus on the more personal side of the work experience. By automating key tasks and incorporating AI, managers have more time to focus on their people and can take steps to build a rewarding job environment for them.

The report also uncovered evidence that hourly workers increasingly value the enhanced work experience delivered by AI and workforce management. When asked what the top two benefits their employer could provide to improve their work experience were, “offer better recognition and rewards for my hard work” came out on top (65%), followed closely by “make it easier to change my scheduled shifts” (41%) and “provide tools and technology to help me work more efficiently” (41%).

There is clearly an opportunity for employers to embrace intelligent, automated, employee-centric workforce management to enhance the work experience for hourly workers. By doing so, they can reduce the threat of unionization, improve retention rates, boost morale, and create a competitive advantage for their organization. “Hourly employees are quitting not because they can get higher wages elsewhere, but because they get a better, more rewarding job experience,” says Mondkar.

Read the Report Today

Download the report 2024 State of the Hourly Workforce, to read more about the urgent need for a shift toward focusing on the human side of work, driven by the adoption of AI and automation technologies.

Interested in learning more? Contact us to talk about how Legion can help you transform labor operations and deliver a better employee experience through intelligent automation powered by Legion WFM.