Conscious quitting: How is this trend affecting law firms?
What is 'conscious quitting' and why are people doing it?
‘Conscious quitting’ is a term used to describe a new trend sweeping across workplaces which sees employees walking away from firms that fail to demonstrate strong corporate values – particularly in terms of ESG (environment, social and governance) matters. Former Unilever Chief Executive, Paul Polman, took to LinkedIn to warn of a new era, stating: “Forget quiet quitting, we are entering an era of conscious quitting.”
The Net Positive Employee Barometer survey – which involved more than 4,000 workers across the UK and US – revealed that employees are searching for companies with a proven track record of making a positive impact on society, and that many will walk away from organisations that lack strong values relating to the environment and societal wellbeing. The survey findings include:
Around 68% of UK employees disclosed they are not pleased with their organisation’s efforts towards improving societal and environmental wellbeing.
45% claimed they would consider resigning from a position if a company’s values did not align with their own.
Over 75% stated that “public-facing commitments to tackling environmental and social issues were now key criteria for the jobs that they apply for.”[1]
Polman attributes this workforce trend of ‘conscious quitting’ to the current social climate, noting that it is especially prominent among younger people. He states: “We are living through an unprecedented moment in human history; a time of “perma-crisis”, where pandemics, war, global warming, economic turmoil, and social division are, in varying degrees, threatening our stability and future. Younger employees especially fear for the world they will inherit.” As a result, many jobseekers want to give their time and talent to organisations striving towards a solution. If they feel let down by the company they work for, a “strikingly high number” would leave their current position and seek opportunity elsewhere.
Prior to the Net Positive Employee Barometer survey, KPMG released research – with 6,000 office staff, students, apprentices, and graduates – warning of a surge of “climate quitters” in the UK workforce.[2] The results revealed that:
20% of office workers had turned down job offers from company’s they found lacking in environmental, social, and governmental aspects. This percentage is considerably higher for participants aged between 18-24.
Almost 50% require their employers to showcase their climate and social commitments.
Across all age groups, 82% of employees desire to share their values and purpose with the organisation they work for.
Before applying for a job, 30% will research a company’s ESG credentials – with the key considerations being environmental impacts (46%) and living wage policies (45%).
A similar study from last year discovered that a third of UK employees were willing to resign over a company’s inaction to reduce or eliminate its carbon footprint. 2,000 UK office workers were surveyed by Supercritical – a platform that assists companies in the measuring, reducing, and offsetting of their climate impact. The sentiment was held strongest by those aged between 18-24. “Employees are demanding more, and employers are being held to account,” says Michelle You, Co-Founder and CEO of Supercritical. “Those that want to attract and retain top talent must start seeing climate action as a non-negotiable or risk being left behind.”[3]
Here’s what you can do to avoid being subjected to talent loss:
In his new book, Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take, Polman outlines the ways in which companies can enforce resiliency by changing their business models, and how setting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could be achieved.
According to Polman, the issue with most advice currently being offered to C-Suites on attracting and retaining talent is that it fails to meet the expectations of its employers. While better pay, flexibility, and employee wellbeing are essential areas to consider, it is equally important to provide jobs that offer fulfilment – both professionally and personally. People want to work for organisations which are attempting to improve the world’s problems, rather than contributing to or creating them.
Polman explores the potential solutions for the ‘ambition gap’ standing between an employee’s values and that of their employer. These are the three identified ways in which companies can improve:
- Demonstrate your company’s values and ambition to make a positive impact,
- Reconsider the ways in which you communicate your values, and find new ways to promote them,
- Encourage employees to help them attain their goals, not only within the workplace but also in their personal lives.
People want to work at climate-conscious firms and are willing to leave jobs that fail to demonstrate strong values. As Polman summarises, people “crave jobs that offer fulfilment, in companies which are trying to fix the world’s problems rather than create them.” To avoid talent loss and the emergence of ‘conscious quitters,’ support your workers by supporting your planet and its people.
References:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/conscious-quitting-has-arrived-paul-polman-/
