Companies that have been reluctant to speak up about political and social issues may want to rethink their silence, in light of a new survey from job site Glassdoor.
The survey finds that 84 percent of Americans believe employers today have an important voice in politics.
Activism Expected
What’s more, 62 percent of workers now expect companies to take a stance on issues like equal rights, immigration, and climate change. Among Millennials, the number jumps to 75 percent.
In addition, 75 percent of workers expect their employer to support groups and individuals in need in their respective communities, either through donations and/or volunteer efforts. Among Millennials, the number is 81 percent.
“Today’s informed candidates want to work for companies that are actively engaged on topics that directly impact their lives and align with their beliefs. The question is how and when employers should approach hot-button topics without damaging their employer brand or recruiting success,” said Dawn Lyon, chief reputation officer and senior vice president of global corporate affairs for Glassdoor.
“Employers should know that taking action is not a one-size-fits-all model. When determining how and when to engage on timely issues, it is important for employers to keep the company’s mission and core values top of mind to guide decisions. The big takeaway for employers is that today’s candidates, especially younger job seekers, want to work at companies that take a stand and take action.”
Issues Impact Business
Many of today’s political issues have a direct impact on companies, and employees tend to understand the connection.
With regard to immigration, for example, the Glassdoor survey finds that more than half of those polled (58 percent) believe legal immigrant workers at their company are critical to the overall success of their business.
Interestingly, more men (63 percent) than women (54 percent) feel this way. Across the nation, employees in the West (66 percent) feel this way more than those in the South (54 percent), Midwest (55 percent) and Northeast (61 percent).
Volunteerism Matters
Workers also want time to volunteer—and volunteering for social causes is no longer limited to outside of working hours. Half of workers surveyed (51 percent) expect their employer to allow them to use work time and resources to advocate for positive social change, regardless of political affiliation.
As with other survey findings, a greater number of Millennials, 72 percent, expect this, in comparison to other age groups.
For more about the impact of volunteerism on employee recruitment and retention, see the Recruiting Daily Advisor article “Opportunities to Volunteer Reflect Positively on Corporate Culture.” For a look at how one company has created a culture of volunteerism, see the Recruiting Daily Advisor article “When It Comes to Volunteerism, the Citi Never Sleeps.”