It’s Not All About Money: How Social Good Can Help You Hire Top Talent

The tables have turned a little bit. During the hiring process, job candidates are usually the ones on the hot seat being drilled about everything from work experience to social media use.

But companies today are starting to feel the burn themselves as more and more qualified job candidates shun conformity in favor of finding fulfilling work that just so happens to come with a paycheck.

The pursuit of meaningful work has become the new normal. And businesses that are purpose driven seem to clearly come out on top, especially with millennials.

Millennials opt for purpose over profits.

Not that millennials are the only segment of the population looking for a job, but they are a large portion of the talent pool making big decisions about their careers right now. And studies suggest that 50% of millennials want to work for a business with ethical practices.

But you don’t have to be a TOMS or Yoobi – brands who’ve perfected the art of “buy one give one”, to add your two cents to the social good jar.

Look for real causes to support. And a good place to start is within your community. Millennials like to be very hands-on so consider hosting a building project for low-income residents or adopting a school and painting classrooms and sprucing up the landscaping.

The key here is to be authentic and consistent. Selfish intentions that only seem to come around when you need to boost sales stand out like a billboard sign, so don’t do that.

Social good isn’t reserved for millennials.

You don’t have to hire candidates between the ages of 18-34 to create a socially responsible culture within your business. Nor do you have to be a nonprofit to do social good. You can do it now with the staff you have.

Corporate social responsibility starts with you, the business owner, and your vision for the company, its core values, and its role in making a difference. But you can’t do it alone. Get your employees (all ages) involved. Spend time getting to know what causes are important to them. Then craft your CSR efforts around the common ground.

More than a paycheck.

Consider HGTV’s hit show “Tiny House, Big Living.” Many of us can’t phantom why tiny home seekers would give up square footage to go live in a fraction of it. But for them, it’s not about acquiring things; it’s about living a fulfilled life on their terms in a way that motivates them.

The same goes for this new wave of job seekers. They want to earn a living, but not at the expense of their happiness. They seek to redefine success by aligning career trajectory with self-fulfillment and the satisfaction of knowing that what they’re doing is making a difference in the world.

So it turns out, when sourcing top talent, money may not be enough to motivate them to pick your company. Creating a purpose driven company, however, with a sincere commitment to social good is a big differentiator. Give these socially conscious job seekers good soil in which to plant their roots and watch them, and your business, flourish.