Employees prioritise working for ethical businesses over higher salaries

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Joanne Swann
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New research reveals that money isn’t always the biggest motivator when it comes to people looking for their dream jobs, with nearly half of adults (46%) saying that working for ethical businesses is more important to them than getting a higher salary.

Those aged 25-34 were most likely to agree with this sentiment (54%), as well as those working in the environment and energy sector (65%). Additionally, nearly two-thirds (62%) of adults value a better work-life balance over getting paid more, while 53% prefer to work for a company that gives the option to work remotely at least some of the time.

Outlined in the HR Unhooked PR and Marketing Report, published by Unhooked Communications, the research questioned 2,015 UK adults on what they look for in an employer, as well as well what motivates them in their work.

Corporate social responsibility was also deemed important by employees, with 52% of respondents saying it was important for them to work for a company that gives back to local communities through fundraising, donations and/or volunteering, while 46% said they would like to work for a company that has an environmental, social and governance (ESG) policy. More than half (57%) of people agree it’s important to work for a company that champions diversity and inclusivity.

When applying for jobs, more than half (59%) said they would look at the businesses’ own websites and social media channels for information about the culture, values and general ways of working, with the same number researching to see what recent news stories there were about the company. More than two-fifths of people (42%) said they would look to see what awards the business had recently been shortlisted for or won.

Claire Gamble, MD of Unhooked Communications, said:

By focussing on building a strong employer brand through PR and marketing activity such as generating positive press coverage, winning credible awards and creating content that shows the ethics and purpose of the brand, companies can not only attract the best talent, but they can also motivate and retain their existing workforce too.

Claire Gamble, MD of Unhooked Communications

Download the full report: https://weareunhooked.com/hr-unhooked/

Joanne Swann, Content Manager, WorkWellPro
Editor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional | Website |  + posts

Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.

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