Why a Green Hiring Strategy Can Help Attract Millennial Talent

Millennials now prioritize sustainability as a game-changing factor when it comes to joining a company – so much so that they are even willing to take a pay cut! In a conversation with Vicky Eriksson from LevelTen Energy, we explored: 

• The rising necessity to embrace sustainability in the workplace
• Three ways green energy options can impact hiring strategies 
• How technology is making it easier to make the switch to renewable energy

In a competitive hiring environment, your employer brand can make a significant difference. Young professionals are now looking at their holistic work environment before joining a company, and this goes beyond only compensation. Work-life balance, creative benefits packages, and a “purpose” in their jobs will determine a candidate’s decision in your favor. This is why leading companies such as General Electric have made sustainability a key part of their employee engagement and hiring strategies. 

In conversation with Vicky Eriksson, Chief of Staff at LevelTen EnergyOpens a new window , we explored how sustainable practices like the use of renewable energy in the workplace can help to attract top talent. 

Learn More: World Environment Day Special: Can Corporate Sustainability Initiatives Drive Employee Engagement?Opens a new window

1 Out of 10 Candidates Choose Sustainability Over Better Pay

A recent surveyOpens a new window covering over a thousand U.S. employees found that sustainability is a genuine concern for the modern workforce. Over 10% said that they are ready to take even a $5,000–$10,000 pay cut to join an environmentally responsible company. And this number is even higher for millennials. Three-quarters of America’s millennial workforce prioritizes sustainability over other factors that determine the attractiveness of a job. 

“Today’s talent is mission-driven. People want a reason to get up in the morning and make a difference to the world. Younger generations are climate-educated and possess a much-needed sense of urgency to take action against climate change,” said Eriksson.

As a result, your hiring strategy may be more successful if you highlight the use of renewable energy in the workplace, conveying how the company is committed to reducing its carbon footprint. 

This also ties in with broader perceptions around the employer brand, believes Eriksson: “An organization’s ‘personality’ is critical to this generation. Kindness, equality, and a commitment to the planet are vital to attracting and retaining talent.”

Employees seem no longer satisfied with putting in their nine hours and collecting a paycheck at the end of the month. They are eager to contribute to society meaningfully and are careful to avoid companies that aren’t aware of this goal. 

Let’s now look at how renewable energy and other sustainability practices can benefit your hiring strategy and the organization as a whole. 

Learn More: It’s Not Optional: 4 Tips to Create a Culture of Sustainability in the WorkplaceOpens a new window

3 Ways Your Hiring Strategy Gains From Going Green

Across three years of hiring, Eriksson has found that mitigating climate change ranks high on most candidates’ priority lists. By making this part of your company agenda, and as a result, your hiring strategy, you can leverage a popular driver of engagement and professional motivation. You can even engage employees through their passion for the planet with gamified techOpens a new window . 

Here are three benefits you could expect: 

1. Bottom line savings and renewed investments in hiring technology 

As the cost of fossil fuels continues to rise across the globe, switching to renewable energy can dramatically cut down your operational expenses. Given the location of your office, you could even look at obtaining buy-in for on-site solar energy production. This is a long-term solution that’s both cost-effective and demonstrable to candidates during on-site visits. The savings generated can be redirected towards new and refreshed hiring strategies. 

2. Potential tax deductions and better compliance 

Governmental agencies are tightening regulations around corporate carbon footprints, making the use of renewable energy the need of the hour. On the other hand, you could even claim tax deductions for green energy investments, depending on your local taxation authority. A sustainability focus will also earn you specialized certifications, positioning you as an employer of choice and giving your hiring strategy another leg up. 

3. Differentiated employer brand with a unique, socially conscious voice 

It can be challenging to stand out among hundreds of prospective employers, especially when millennials are switching jobs at a rapid pace. A sustainability focus gives your employer brand a unique and identifiable voice, differentiating the company from among the crowd. Beyond just your product or the available vacancy, a candidate will be assured of being part of positive change.

Fortunately, going green is no longer a challenge. Adopting automation and paperless processes in your hiring strategy are probably the first steps towards sustainability in the workplace. And once you’re ready to shift to renewable energy, there are solutions available to streamline the change.

Learn More: How Gamification Impacts Sustainability Activities and Their Success PathwaysOpens a new window

How to Turn Your Sustainability Stance into a Hiring Advantage

As mentioned, sustainability is deeply entrenched in the corporate image for most leading companies. A great example is General Electric (GE)Opens a new window . The company offers several CSR initiatives, training its workforce on health, human rights, and employment principles. It also has a formalized Ecomagination strategy, minimizing the carbon footprint for both GE and its customers. 

Another organization that has taken the stance to go green is Unilever. The company just achieved 100% renewable electricity across five continentsOpens a new window . This is a big move not only for the organization but for the employees and potential candidates who are part of it. 

For organizations looking to leverage sustainable energy as a hiring advantage, LevelTen Energy has designed an easy-to-use platform to accelerate the energy procurement process. This allows employers of any size to strengthen their sustainability stance without having to make massive investments. “We’ve reimagined the renewable energy buying process, creating standard processes and contracting best practices to reduce friction every step of the way,” Eriksson told us.

She also highlighted why solutions like these play a big part in modern hiring strategies. “Being able to make a direct difference to a company’s renewable goals and accelerate the development of renewable projects is extremely attractive.”  

Given the multiple benefits of going green, organizations can no longer hold on to old hiring methods that position a designation or pay hike as the primary motivator. Renewable energy can help you reimagine your corporate social footprint, in turn, positioning you as an employer of choice to the brightest and most socially conscious talent out there. 

How are you rethinking your hiring strategy for the millennial candidate? Tell us on FacebookOpens a new window , LinkedInOpens a new window , or TwitterOpens a new window . We are eager to hear from you!