The Rise of Sustainability in the Job Market

Green Jobs and Sustainability – The growing competitive advantage in the business world?

Green jobs, encompassing roles that promote sustainability and environmentally friendly practices, are gaining increasing importance in today's workforce. These jobs directly contribute to environmental preservation and support the transition to a more sustainable future. Within our job platforms, we observe a notable trend with an increasing number of job offers for green jobs. If you're seeking environmentally conscious positions, look no further than totaljobs.com/greenjobs, where a diverse selection of eco-friendly careers awaits your exploration!

Our recently conducted study shows that sustainability remains a key factor for employees, even those not directly involved in green jobs. This finding highlights the growing importance of sustainability in today's job market and emphasizes that employees, in general, have high expectations regarding their employers' sustainability measures.

From Awareness to Action: Employees expectations toward businesses’ sustainability

Overall, 68% of German respondents consider it important for their employer to act in a sustainable way. The same picture emerges for 66% of the UK respondents. The growing awareness of sustainability in the job market has led to an increasing expectation that employers take responsibility for environmental actions, as individuals increasingly recognize the role of businesses in shaping a sustainable future. In fact, a remarkable 82% of respondents in the UK firmly believe that employers have a responsibility to contribute to environmental preservation. Similarly, 72% of respondents in Germany share this sentiment. These figures underscore the rising demand for companies to take proactive steps towards sustainability and align their actions with the larger environmental goals.

Sustainability Superpowers? Its impact on employer attractiveness

It's no surprise that the numbers regarding importance and responsibility are soaring high. Our study reveals that employees associate a range of attributes with sustainable companies. The findings show that, according to respondents, sustainably conscious companies offer a multitude of perceived advantages. Overall, 86% (DE) and 90% (UK) recognize the positive impact on the environment. However, the benefits extend far beyond the "green" aspects and encompass various work-related factors. Respondents attribute higher job satisfaction to sustainable companies by 78% (DE) and 80% (UK), as well as a boost in image or reputation, with 80% (DE) and 84% (UK). Additionally, respondents perceive sustainable companies as having an edge in attracting new talent, with 76% (DE) and 75% (UK) recognizing the appeal of sustainable companies compared to non-sustainable counterparts. While the differences in the previous results are marginal, UK respondents take it a step further, attributing high productivity to sustainable companies by 72% (compared to 59% in Germany).

The full picture: How sustainability fits into the complexity of employer attractiveness

Having established the significance of sustainability and its influence on employer attractiveness, it is apparent that sustainability plays a key role. However, it's important to acknowledge that sustainability is not the number one determining factor for employer attractiveness. Six out of ten respondents state that sustainability is generally important to them when considering an employer, yet it remains just one factor among many attractiveness factors. Ultimately, a job should pay the bills and promote professional development. Employees also desire positive relationships with their team and their leaders. Additionally, the meaningfulness of the work itself plays a significant role. However, when employees are directly presented with the choice, 38% would be willing to accept a salary below the market average if the company acts particularly sustainably.

Long story short: employer attractiveness becomes more and more complex in a more and more complex working world. As competition for talent intensifies, making it harder for employers to distinguish themselves, a genuine dedication to sustainability can indeed provide a significant edge.

The message is evident: sustainability has become necessary rather than optional for companies aiming for success. It is imperative to leverage its potential for employer attractiveness and for creating a better and more sustainable world of work. However, caution is also required here, as the EU has declared war on companies engaging in greenwashing. Concerning talent attractiveness, it is important to acknowledge that sustainability alone is not sufficient. By seamlessly integrating sustainability into their core values and operations while aligning with broader business objectives, companies can fully release their potential and attract talents.

About the Study

This study delved into the perspectives of German and British employees regarding sustainability within organizations. The results reveal that the vast majority places a strong emphasis on companies' responsibility in shaping a more sustainable future. While sustainable companies are perceived to offer additional advantages compared to their non-sustainable counterparts, when it comes to making actual job decisions, salary still holds greater importance. In total 2,600 people from German participated in the survey from mid-May to early June 2023. More than 2,000 people from UK also took part in the survey from early April to mid-April 2023 conducted by The Stepstone Group’s subsidiary Totaljobs. Both surveys are representative for their countries’ work force.