Sustainability + staff retention

A focus on sustainability could increase employee retention rates for younger professionals…

Thankfully, topics such as recycling, sustainability, and climate are now well and truly in mainstream discussion. The public has voted the environment as the ‘third most pressing issue facing the nation‘ in a recent YouGov poll.

Brexit and health top the list. However, those in the 18 to 24-year-old age group actually place the environment as second behind Brexit (almost 1/2 of this group prioritise environmental concerns, versus 27% of the population as a whole).

So it’s not surprising to hear that younger professionals would like to see a greater environmental focus at work.

Exploring core priorities:

• 86% of Millennials (born from the early ’80s to mid-90s) and Generation Z (born from the mid-90s to mid-00s) would remain with their company longer if the business reported its efforts to reduce their environmental impact.
• When considering a company’s wider corporate social responsibility focus, respondents would most like to see ‘Environmentally-friendly buildings’ (46%);
• Health and wellbeing programmes (45%);
• Charity partnership projects (36%).

The article also explores a number of priorities regarding the work setting itself.

Ideas for individuals, employers and managers wanting to do more to support sustainability… 

• Cultivating Capital has a list of 25 tips to help create a greener workplace. While an American post, it houses multiple ideas that could easily be adopted in the UK. Why not be the person that suggests some of these strategies in your business? Not only would this offer clear company benefits, yet it’s the sort of personal achievement that shines on your CV.
• Business owners will also want to read all about the ‘environmental taxes, reliefs and schemes for businesses’ available via the gov.uk website.
• For further inspiration, articles from the likes of the Telegraph and Forbes detail how some companies are achieving excellent environmental progress.
• If your existing employer isn’t open to green initiatives, there may be another company that more closely fits your values. Don’t forget you can always ask more about an employer’s sustainability efforts and objectives during the recruitment process.

To explore openings in Bath and the surrounding area, please visit our jobs page. You will have the opportunity to ask more about recruiting companies if your CV is selected for possible submission. This is just one of the many benefits of working with an accredited recruitment agency.