Nowadays, more and more companies are shifting away from the corporate culture and attempting a more flexible structure for its employees. They offer a variety of benefits including competitive pay, flexible scheduling and a comprehensive benefits plan. Some even go as far to offer free gym memberships and office game space.

While it’s important to offer your employees a variety of perks, it’s even more important to emphasize the ones they value. Yes, people love free food and leaving early. But at the end of the day, we spend approximately 90,000 hours of our life working…and if we aren’t developing in our careers – what good is it worth?

Part of it falls on us as employees. We need to be motivated to take our career where we envision it, where we reach our fullest potential. But we can’t do it alone; we need the guidance and support from our employer to do so. Many employers struggle with this because it’s very difficult to strengthen someone’s work ethic. You can’t force an employee to do something they plain and simple…don’t want to do. But that’s the key ingredient so many employers are missing. It’s the solution to the problem hundreds of companies, both large and small, are witnessing.

By fostering an environment where people want to do the work they’re given, you take significant strides in the right direction. I’m not an expert on how to reduce turnover or boost employee morale, but here are a few thoughts from experience:

1. Dedicate a larger part of your business plan to employee growth. A part of most employees’ career goals is to grow in either their current or a more advanced position. If an employee doesn’t see room for growth with their present company, they look for that opportunity elsewhere. Offer professional development courses and/or training to encourage and support employee growth. If possible, make it a point to promote internally, as it shows your employees the value you see in them. Still, make sure internal candidates are qualified for the more advanced position. Which brings me to my next thought…

2. Empower your management team. Whether it’s executive-level or mid-level management, make sure the leads you have in charge are qualified and trained. Understand their style of management and determine if that style is a good fit for the teams they’ll head up. Look for managers who lead by example, who ask for feedback and who keep the growth of their team members a top priority.

3. Be transparent in company-wide communication. Employees want to stay in the loop when it comes to both team-related and company-related news (good and bad). Share updates with employees as you receive them. If the answer either isn’t available, let them know you’ll work on learning more. If the answer isn’t the one they want to hear, ask for their feedback on where they see room for improvement – they’ll appreciate the acknowledgement.

4. If you say you offer competitive pay, offer it. It’s a benefit that’s listed on almost every job posting but many companies list simply because it looks good. Salaries should be based largely off of company standing, the market, cost of living and individual job responsibilities. If your pay structure is truly competitive in the market, back up your claim with some stats. I’m not saying offer $60k in an entry-level position, but if your employee can handle the same tasks elsewhere for a 30% bump, it might be time to reconsider your facts. If you add on responsibility, compensate for it. If you employ a few people you can’t afford to lose, recognize that.

5. Focus on quality over quantity. Like employees, and apart from profit, many companies strive to achieve growth. What that means for people in various positions within the company differs, and top-level management needs to be cognizant of that. Consider the well-being of the employees when making decisions that affect them. If you’re expanding rapidly, take a step back and look at the big picture. Are your employees happy? Do your employees have access to the resources they need? Is there room for employee growth or are we flat-lining?

Your employees play a vastly important role in overall business operations. Oftentimes, they’re the ones on the front line: handling tedious tasks and dealing with client-facing issues. In return, employees want to know they are valued. They need to know the work they are doing is part of a career, not just a job. Recognize the needs of your employees and ask to listen instead of asking to ask. Buying lunch and emailing funny memes is a temporary fix. Acknowledgement and openness to change is a long-term solution.