A wise person once said, “Our most important customers are our people.” Truer words were never spoken. Sure, your paying customers are the ones who consume the products and services and, on the face of it, make your company money. But it’s your workforce who not only output those products and services, they are the ones who uphold the brand, contribute to your vision and mission, and, above all, define and contribute to your Purpose. And it is Purpose that will attract and retain top talent. Purpose should be the keystone to your EVP.

Cultural, societal, economic, and environmental forces are changing the way we look at meaningful careers. It doesn’t matter if we are entry level or C suite and beyond. This applies to seekers and hirers alike by the way.

Of course salary, working conditions and career trajectory are, and always will be, top considerations. But the rules of attraction are much more complex today than they were before Covid-19. Money does talk. Nothing like the continued ripples from a global pandemic and Russia’s mindless war on Ukraine to apply pressure on everybody’s purse strings. In Australia, we’re all feeling the impact of continued inflation, supply chain disruptions, extreme weather events, and skills shortages.

When it comes to attracting, retaining and nurturing top talent, there are some things to keep in mind. I believe it is possible to create true advocates of your brand - champions who contribute to its continued success because they believe in it.

Some numbers first.

In her article in HRD magazine, author Amanda Woodward writes that according to a Gallup poll, “...69% of employees said they would look at a company’s record on the environment before deciding whether or not to take a job – and they would often go to social media to find out. A quarter of employees would even take a pay cut to work for an environmentally sustainable company...” Now this is a little dated. But here are some more recent metrics

Further to this are some considerations for employers:

1. Competitive Compensation: It’s no surprise that Offering competitive salaries and benefits is crucial to attract and retain top talent. Research shows that 70% of employees considered salary and benefits as the most important factors in their job satisfaction.
2. Work-Life Balance: Employees value flexibility. Promoting a healthy work-life balance is important. Over 80% of employees consider work-life balance as a top factor influencing their job decisions.
3. Career Development and Growth Opportunities: Providing opportunities for skill development and career growth is crucial. Around 75% of employees are more likely to stay with an employer that invests in their professional development.
4. Company Culture and Values: A positive workplace culture aligned with values can attract and retain talent. About 88% of job seekers consider a company's culture as important when deciding to apply for a job.
5. Remote Work and Flexibility: Offering remote work options and flexibility is still important, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant percentage of employees (around 70%) express a preference for remote or hybrid work arrangements.

Also it’s no surprise employee well-being programs, a focus on Diversity and Inclusion, and regular employee feedback and engagement systems all contribute to employee satisfaction and retention metrics.

More recently is this paper released in January by PwC on the future of work. The trends, topics, and considerations within are worth a read.

I want to end on a rhetorical note, with a quote from Yvon Chouinard, clothing company Patagonia’s founder. He famously said of transferring ownership of the company,

“Earth is now our only shareholder.”

We know we can’t all be Patagonia but we know we can do better than we are now. We have to if we want our most important customers to believe in our brand. For organisations looking to transform their recruitment, improve Employee Net Promoter Scores, and retain top talent, get in touch with Barefoot Citizens Consulting. We have been focused on exactly this. We have created Purpose workshops and L&D programs that will integrate with current systems, or start new ones. Talk to us today.

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