Keeping good employees can be a challenge, with so many prepared to jump ship if they find that where they are isn't to their liking. But a new study finds that providing employees with a positive experience on the job can not only make them happier in their work but more likely to stay.

The Employee Experience Index, by the IBM Smarter Workforce Institute and Globoforce's WorkHuman Research Institute has resulted in the development of a new Employee Experience Index, which reveals key relationships between human workplace practices and a positive employee experience. The index is made up of five core dimensions that constitute a positive experience; those five dimensions also make employees more likely to report a high level of performance and discretionary effort in their work, as well as to be more likely to want to remain with their organization.

The dimensions are belonging (feeling part of a team, group or organization); purpose (understanding why one's work matters); achievement (a sense of accomplishment in their work); happiness (pleasant feelings coming from work); and vigor (energy, enthusiasm and excitement at work).