Are employers doing enough to ensure good workplace relationships?

How do employees rate their relationship with their current employer? And what keeps people committed to the same company for several years? Good wages and employee benefits, a positive workplace environment, or opportunities for promotion?

A survey of 3,000 British workers by background checking specialist PASS Technology has found that employees rate their relationship with their employer at only 6.6 out of 10.

In comparison, employers voted their relationships at 6.8 out of 10 -- a slightly a higher average than their employees.

Bosses in the IT sector must be doing something right, as IT employees rated their relationship with their employer at 7.3/10. At the other end of the scale, the figure for healthcare workers is as low as 3.8/10.

The survey also revealed that only one-third of employees believe their employer does enough to keep spirits high in the workplace, and just 1 in 10 employees socialise with their colleagues outside of work.

With happy workers more likely to remain at their companies for many years, PASS also asked long-term employees about why they chose to stay.

Almost a third (32%) said it was down to having a decent wage and 21% attributed their commitment to having trustworthy relationships with colleagues. One in seven (14%) said there were career progression opportunities in their company and 11% cited employee benefits and incentives as being key to their long-term employment. Another 11% said it was because their office was in a convenient location, and a further 11% said it was down to having good and flexible hours.

Asked if background checks would make them feel more trusting of their team, two-thirds of employees agreed -- and three-quarters think background checks should be compulsory before anyone is hired to a position.

"A good employee-employer relationship is critical for the culture and success of a business or brand. These survey results show there is an unfortunate discrepancy between how employers and employees rate their relationship," commented PASS chief executive Luke Battah.

"Fortunately, there are a number of things that businesses can do to address this. Company perks, team activities and a better work-life balance are approaches that are worth considering but employers often overlook how important background checking can be.

"Background checks develop a more trusting setting for both employers and employees alike. Employees who know sufficient background checks have been done in their business are more trusting of the colleagues and feel safer and more confident with their employers."