More than half of employees surveyed said that they would consider resigning from their job if the ... [+]
Inflation, recession fears and a brutal wave of job layoffs have done little to dent employees’ desires to work for companies they perceive to be socially and environmentally conscious, and corporations that have corporate values, goals and principles that align with their own, according to new research.
In a survey of 2,000 employees in the U.S., 76% of respondents indicated that they want to work for a company that is trying to have a positive impact on the world. Almost two thirds, however, said that current efforts by businesses to tackle environmental and societal challenges do not go far enough.
The research, commissioned by former Unilever CEO Paul Polman, also found that more than half of employees said that they would consider resigning from their job if the values demonstrated by their employer did not align with their own. In fact, 35% of respondents said that they had already quit a job for this reason, and the same proportion indicated that they might be willing to tolerate a pay cut to work for a company that shares their values.
“Times have changed and employees no longer want outdated corporate social responsibility initiatives and a lack of action,” said Polman. “Unsatisfied and unmotivated employees recognize the power is in the hands of the CEOs. They want to work for companies which work to tackle the world’s greatest challenges, and they want to play their part,” he added, noting that otherwise “they’ll leave.”
The survey found that the the prioritization of values was more pronounced among younger generational cohorts—groups that, according to the report accompanying the research findings, “entered the workforce amid an age of ‘permacrisis’,” which allowed them to witness the “cascading environmental, economic and health shocks of recent years.”
The research echoes similar studies conducted in recent years, showing that employees are seeking personal value and purpose at work, even at the expense of a generous salary and other monetary benefits. But it’s striking considering the current economic backdrop that has sparked widespread fears among workers about job loss. Randstad’s annual Workmonitor report, based on a survey of 35,000 people, recently showed that some 52% of respondents were worried about the impact of economic uncertainty on their job security, and over a third (37%) were explicitly concerned about losing their job.
That survey found that younger workers, aged between 18 and 24—and the same age cohort that tends to be more concerned about an employers values—were particularly anxious, with 43% saying that they were scared of losing their job, representing a 10 percentage point increase on last year’s number.
Other business leaders commented on the findings of Polman’s survey too.
“Companies must be courageous and transform their businesses together with their employees, rather than making more empty promises behind closed doors,” said Sharan Burrow, former General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation. “Gen Z wants to join them on this journey and to be a part of the solution to tackle climate change, ensure rights are respected through their supply change and that inequality is effectively addressed. CEOs must embrace this partnership and they’ll be rewarded with a more satisfied and motivated workforce,” she added.
“Having a positive impact on the world is no longer a by-product of good business,” said Hamdi Ulukaya, CEO of food company Chobani. “It’s no shock that in such turbulent times, employees want to work for companies striving for significant social and environmental change.”
