“The real measure of your wealth is how much you’d be worth if you lost all your money.” – Bernard Meltzer
Monetary versus inner wealth have for a long time been the subject of debates and disputes between philosophers and sociologists. Since the Industrial Revolution and the rise of capitalism, the world has indeed been disrupted by the emergence of a social class made of entrepreneurs and business people, who had no connection to the monarchy and nobility, the ruling classes until then.
But this new society also carried new issues; this extremely competitive society divided people into vanquishers and vanquished.
However, the new generation carries a message of hope. It seems as the newcomers understand something no one else did before; monetary and inner wealth do not have to be antagonists. As a matter of fact, standing for what you believe does not equal giving up everything, moving to the woods and becoming self-sufficient.
The working youth believes in a more ethical and sustainable society. By joining companies for their ethics over a higher salary, the young generation is laying the foundations of a better future.
The new generation sets the example
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.
Essential Ethics
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 of people agree it’s important to work for a company that champions diversity and inclusivity.
“By focusing 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.” says Claire Gamble, MD of Unhooked Communications.
When applying for jobs, more than 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 said they would look to see what awards the business had recently been shortlisted for or won.