Do job seekers prefer sustainable companies?

It is said that sustainability and recruitment go hand-in-hand.

Over the past five years, there has been a 71% increase in online searches for sustainable goods globally, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Consumers are now generally more interested in doing what they can to live more sustainably and they expect businesses to play a part in that, this is the same attitude they would have when looking for a new job role.

Sustainability draws job seekers, why?

Because it’s a source of employee pride and implies the company cares about its employees, the society, and the planet.

The main group of job seekers who take a stance for sustainability is 23-38-year-olds, according to a survey from Total Jobs.

We asked our followers who are mainly in C-Suite positions within a company on our social media platforms if they would be more attracted to a company if they were sustainable, the response we received was surprising, with not much difference between the results, 42% said they would be more influenced to work for a company if they made sustainability a top priority. However, 48% said that this factor would not influence them. The remaining 9% said they do not consider sustainability when applying for a job role.

What can you do as a business to become more sustainable?

Communicate through multiple channels about your step towards becoming more sustainable, be honest, accept responsibility for where you went wrong, and explain how you are going to resolve this. This way job seekers can witness how your company is making a change by aligning your values with their own and they would want to be part of the journey.

Companies that can show they can adapt quickly to the new trend of being sustainable are easily attracting and retaining talent.

Clearly link your sustainability initiatives to specific organisational values and demonstrate their authenticity. Describe company values that drive specific sustainability actions, such as values about protecting the environment, managing relationships with external stakeholders, and addressing employee concerns.

But remember, avoid greenwashing. Your messages about sustainability need to match the reality, if not many employees will become resentful and leave.

According to a survey by Glassdoor, nearly 3 in 5 people strongly take benefits and perks into consideration before accepting a job offer, so ensure you communicate clearly the sustainability practices you have in place.

Depending on your industry, your first steps towards becoming more sustainable will differ.

Begin by changing your heating and fuel sources to a greener alternative, reduce printing in the workplace, and implement schemes to help reduce carbon footprint such as the Cycle To Work scheme. This is a scheme from the Government to promote healthier well-being and reduce environmental pollution. It allows employers to loan cycles and cyclist safety equipment to employees as a tax-free benefit.

If you are a manufacturer, investigate how you can reduce production and distribution pollution. Using recycled materials and manufacturing products in the UK can make a great impact.

Will your business take these steps in investing in our planet?