Attract Top Talent by Reflecting Green Values

January 06, 2020

Tips

One way or another, every business needs to attract sales. In a way, that makes every company a marketing firm.  But what many companies don’t fully realize, or put into practice, is that they also need to market their work culture to potential employees. As baby boomers retire, and in the face of a relatively small Gen X cohort, many companies are finding it increasingly difficult to find and employ top talent. Considering that they form the largest demographic of working people, attracting millennial employees can help set your business and work environment apart as a desirable place to work. To do this, your firm must first ask what do millennials value in the workplace. 

What Do Millennials Value in the Workplace

One survey found that only 44% of millennials have a positive experience in the workplace, which is lower than any previous generation. Considering their “buying power” for jobs on the heels of retiring baby boomers, employers are well-advised to offer more of what millennials expect from a workplace, including the following.

1. Work-Life Balance – Over 50 percent of millennials surveyed in one study said that work and leisure should be entirely separate. While technology plays an ever-increasing role in both their work and personal lives, employers need to make sure that work technology doesn’t cross-over into employees’ personal lives. 
2. Flexible Work Environments – Almost 70% of millennials surveyed said they would make a variety of trade-offs, including a pay cut, in exchange for a better workspace. What do millennials desire in a great work environment? Flexibility, including options to work from home, have private workstations and also spaces for collaborative work. 
3. Social Impact – This is where having a more eco-friendly office environment and “greener” corporate values comes into play. And it is perhaps the trait that millennials seek in a workplace that is most unique to their generation. That their place of employment makes a social impact, in everything from active recycling programs to offering time-off for volunteer opportunities and charitable gift matching, is important to over 80% of millennials.

Check out our article “Why Going Green is Good for Business” to learn about more reasons to “green” your company.