Having a mission-driven employer brand as you attract desired talent has always been a plus. But in recent years, it has evolved into much more than just a “nice to have” feature. For an increasing number of job seekers and employees, offering meaningful work and purposeful values that align with their own are requirements in employers.
- A recent study by the Harvard Business Review found that more than 90 percent of employees would be willing to trade a percentage of their lifetime earnings for greater meaning at work. While financial security is important, meaningful work is about more than just paying the bills. It is connected to a sense of purpose – and it makes people feel more fulfilled and valuable.
Align your employer brand with a sense of purpose.
Finding a career that is purposeful, engaging, and has a positive social impact is high on the agenda of today’s professionals. Results of another study, by McKinsey & Company, show that 70 percent of people are seeking purpose at work.
- For employees and job candidates, meaningful work attracts them to jobs, builds satisfaction once they’re there, and motivates them to perform better.
- For employers, offering meaningful work is a strong point for recruiting, engaging, and retaining value-aligned team members, as well as increasing productivity.
Key elements that make work more meaningful include:
- Personal relevance: Work that aligns with people’s own goals and values makes them feel their time on the job is well spent, whether it’s in serving a greater good, achieving personal development or, ideally, both.
- Importance: Simply put, people need to feel that they – and the work they do – are making a difference.
- Autonomy: Team members want to use their expertise and initiative to create impact, versus feeling like just another cog in a corporate wheel.
- Competence: People also find meaning in their work when they can showcase, use, and grow their skills. This leads to a stronger sense of accomplishment. Employee recognition programs play a strong role in this area.
- Connection: Strong personal relationships at work are important, as is a connection to the larger mission of the organization. This bolsters shared goals, a sense of community, and long-term loyalty.
Have your company’s purpose, values, mission, and culture at the forefront as you excite candidates about your job openings and keep current employees engaged and on board. When you craft your employer brand, be sure to actively articulate how your jobs and your business make a meaningful difference.
- Understand each person’s passions. Find out: What are they good at? And, equally important, what are they passionate about? What do they want to do and learn – and what kind of difference do they want to make? When you intersect all these areas, you can create meaningful work for them and for your company.
Let the experienced team at Haley Marketing help you develop and perfect your mission-driven brand in the face of today’s competitive talent marketplace. Contact us today to get started.
