What Makes an SMB Good to Work For

Do you want your SMB to become one that people love to work for? You have the right way of thinking. The times when work was just work, and getting paid was enough for the employees, are gone. Nowadays, people do their job not only to make a living, but work is also one of the main parts of their life; they want their time spent at work to pass with comfort, interest, and opportunities for personal development. Here we highlight the factors that employees find most important in deciding whether to keep their current job or move on, and we discuss how you can create a supportive culture where everyone can thrive and contribute their best.

Happy employees are more productive and motivated to contribute to your success in the long term. When your team feels confident both professionally and mentally, they can come up with new ideas you never even expected.

Happy Teams, Strong Business: Why Keeping Your People Matters

Reducing staff turnover is an important goal. Employee turnover can incur expenses up to 33% of an annual salary for each position that must be refilled. High turnover isn't just expensive – it often signals underlying problems. Studies consistently reveal that psychological stress and insufficient support are major factors driving employees to leave. And who wants to constantly search for and train new team members?

Why Working at a Small Biz Feels Special

SMBs have their own atmosphere that’s different from large companies, and it’s one for which they are often appreciated.

Small and medium-sized businesses can be great places to work thanks to their more close-knit, family-like environment with stronger personal relationships and more direct access to management. They often provide opportunities for people to take on diverse roles and responsibilities. It’s a great chance to develop a wide range of skills and allows for a more flexible decision-making process.

This system helps beat the boredom of repetitive tasks. It creates a valuable sense of shared ownership, the feeling that each employee is not just a gear in a mechanism but makes a noticeable impact.

So, what are the other key priorities?

What Really Makes People Want to Work Somewhere (According to Research)

1.Fair pay

More than half of workers still identify salary as the number one priority for staying in a workplace. A survey by 24 Seven, conducted in 2024 involving over 2,500 professionals across various industries, shows that competitive financial compensation is the foremost concern. One should also not forget benefits such as paid sick leave, health insurance, paid vacation time, retirement plans, and parental leave. It’s interesting that this survey reports a rapid decline in the number of employees that feel happy: 48% in 2024 compared to 70% the previous year.

2. Respectful treatment and strong ethics

Over half of workers place a high priority on being treated fairly and appreciate strong ethical standards within their organization. Businesses that support mental and emotional health, create psychologically safe environments, and have open communication have stronger performance in contrast to the outdated culture of blame and punitive management. (Of course, it’s important to distinguish between genuine mistakes and deliberate misconduct.) Cohesion among team members and empowering through supportive leadership contributes to employee satisfaction and helps to detect areas for improvement and workers’ individual needs.

For example, at DocuSend, our supervisor always tells us, “I want you to complain more.” If the employees’ only feedback is that everything is already great, how is it possible to find areas of improvement? That’s why the type of leadership that promotes open communication can help you position yourself as an attractive employer.

It also matters how team members interact with one another, so that the team has a positive atmosphere that doesn’t trigger stress.

3. Maintaining balance between work and personal life

Is there a possibility to work from home at least some hours in the week, or to have a more flexible schedule? Research shows that supporting employees’ work-life balance is beneficial for their mental state. For example, an employee might choose to work remotely on Fridays to better manage personal appointments or reduce commuting stress. This option frequently ranks among the top three most important factors in workplace attractiveness surveys. If your business’s specifics allow more flexibility, it can be achieved through remote work opportunities or adjustable hours.

4. Work with purpose, value, and ability for personal development

As we said, these days, people are looking for more than just a paycheck. They want their work to really matter. When we feel like we’re making a real difference and helping solve problems, it’s amazingly motivating!

Companies that invest in their people and make time for training and development make employees feel they are moving in the right direction, allowing them to grow and become the best version of themselves. Many consider how their current role aligns with their further life path, asking questions like, “Will this job help me develop skills that are valuable for my future?” or “Can I build meaningful connections here that will support my career goals down the line?” or “I want to start my own business in the long term; how can this company give me the needed knowledge?”

Giving employees some freedom to shape their own tasks can make a really big difference. It’s normal if we don’t all feel the same way about responsibility – we’re all different, and that’s great. Creative roles can be fulfilling, but it’s understandable that sometimes, tasks can be a bit more structured and less flexible. The key is finding the right balance. When you give people the chance to share their ideas, you see how much more excited they get about their work.

5. Employees’ brand perception

People are more likely to stay with a company when they genuinely like the product or service it provides. Not only is the workplace culture itself important, but also that the company is helpful to the community. Employees want to feel proud of where they work; they don’t want to be associated with something they consider low quality or meaningless. They want to be part of a mission that makes a positive impact. And it’s not necessarily something global: It can be that pet shop that both sells products and organizes community events to promote animal adoption and responsible pet care. Or a lawn care service paying close attention to detail and ensuring every lawn looks its best. Or a small local café that serves the very best coffee in town or sources ingredients from nearby farms and supports sustainable agriculture.

6. Innovative work environment, embracing new technologies in the workplace

An essential aspect is embracing innovations that alleviate your team’s work. It can be a new, helpful application, an API for your company software, using AI for assistance, a new communication channel for the team, or using a cloud-based mailroom that eliminates your company’s mailing routine. Encourage experimentation with innovations that make work easier, and your staff will be grateful. Every year brings new technologies, so it always makes sense to try something different.

At the end of the day, creating a great SMB environment to work in is a source of pleasure and a win-win for everyone. Keep listening, keep innovating, and keep making work a place where people want to show up every day. We hope the factors we listed can help you evaluate your employees’ priorities and trends. And if you have something to add from your personal experience, please don’t hesitate to do it in the comment section below.