5 Ways to attract talent by showcasing the causes you care about
This piece was co-written with Graham Quinn, Employer Branding Manager at Wave HQ
Millennial and Gen Z workers are increasingly holding companies accountable to social justice initiatives and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. In fact, according to a Cone Communications survey, 75% of respondents cite a brand’s social and environmental practices as an important factor when considering a job offer.
To provide you with inspiration, we’ve compiled a list of five companies doing great work from a CSR and social justice perspective — and developing attention-grabbing content to share these initiatives and communicate their employer brand values to candidates. We hope these examples inspire you to advance your CSR initiatives and communicate them with external talent audiences!
1. Diversity, equity, and inclusion: Salesforce’s “we are here” campaign
All of the racial injustice that has come to the forefront this year has resulted in a growing demand for equitable representation and opportunities. Salesforce recognizes and addresses this by amplifying BIPOC voices in their latest video, we are here. Beautifully crafted in a spoken-word format, we hear a monologue from a member of one of their ERG groups, BOLDforce, on behalf of the company’s Black, Indigenous, and Latinx employees.
In this video, Salesforce demonstrates their organizational commitment to DEI through their continued promise to increase BIPOC representation within their organization.
This isn’t the brand’s first time fighting for equity and inclusion, Marc Benioff has previously called on CEOs to address the pay gap that exists within their organizations.
Why it works
The video uses empathetic storytelling to purposefully ask its viewers to stand together to create meaningful change. Employees want to feel that they’re represented at work and able to bring their whole selves, without judgment or prejudice. This is a great example of how organizations can leverage employee resource groups (ERGs) to showcase their commitment to DEI.
2. Climate change: Patagonia’s “facing extinction” video
Patagonia, a long-time supporter of environmental and social action, used their platform to raise awareness for Climate Week by showcasing young activists from around the world participating in the 2019 Global Climate Strike. With their campaign, facing extinction the outdoor eco-conscious clothing company highlighted the faces and voices of young activists taking action against climate change deniers.
The 30-second clip wasn’t a one-off ad campaign either. In a rare move for the brand, Patagonia paid for print advertising during Climate Week to amplify the voices of the activists they featured. To take their commitment even further, the company closed all stores on the day of the strike to allow employees to peacefully protest and march alongside other climate change activists.
To show employees that they fully support their right to peacefully protest, Patagonia also offers to pay bail legal fees and time away from work should they encounter any legal trouble.
Why it works
This is a great example of Patagonia’s ongoing and unwavering commitment to standing firmly in their beliefs, which is further fueled by the company’s pledge to donate 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the environment. Finding creative ways to communicate your company values helps to attract like-minded individuals to join your company.
3. Employee health and wellbeing: Walmart’s “here for you” campaign
Walmart was named an essential service business at the start of the North American COVID-19 outbreak in March of this year. To adapt to the increased demand in business, the company hired 150,000 employees to serve their communities at scale.
To support this, the company created a campaign entitled “here for you,” which encompasses a variety of content pieces targeted at both associates and the community to demonstrate transparency, empathy, and what the 58-year-old company is doing to strengthen its community of families, friends, and associates during the COVID-19 crisis.
One of our favourite elements of the campaign is the landing page dedicated to Walmart’s associates that outlines the health and safety measures put in place to protect them during the pandemic, including enhanced emergency leave policies and health benefits.
Additionally, after visiting numerous stores and speaking with front-line employees, Walmart’s President further demonstrated empathetic leadership, his commitment to being “here for you,” and his unwavering support for his essential workers with strong messaging (featured right).
Why it works
Walmart’s campaign is a great example of how the organization has prioritized protecting and caring for their employees across the chain throughout the pandemic. This sends a strong message to future employees that Walmart is an employer that cares about employee health and wellbeing.
It’s also a lesson in strong leadership in uncertain and challenging times. Employees and candidates alike take notice of this and it has strengthened the company’s employer brand.
If you want more examples of companies sharing excellent content during COVID-19 that shows how they’re supporting their employees and the communities, take a look at this Rally blog by our founder, Kaitlyn Holbein 8 Companies Sharing Excellent Content from their Frontlines
4. Pride: Uber’s LGBTQ+ landing page
To show their support for the LGBTQ+ community, Uber created a landing page to show their commitment to this group. The landing page helps educate the public on LGBTQ+ causes by sharing a brief history, definitions of different terms that individuals may identify by, and how Uber employees can be an ally to their colleagues.
Additionally, to increase transparency and communication, Uber has created it’s first-ever gender transition guidelines for employees globally. This resource is not intended exclusively for those planning or going through a transition; but is also geared towards managers, co-workers, friends, and family who are looking to enable awareness and become an ally.
Why it works
Uber goes above and beyond to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community. The company recognizes that celebrating Pride one month of the year doesn’t go far enough. This content makes it clear to prospective employees and drivers that Uber is a company striving to maintain an inclusive culture for their full team. It will also attract candidates who share a similar commitment.
5. Gender-neutral parental leave: Etsy’s “making paid parental leave work” video
Etsy created a heartfelt recruitment marketing video after upgrading its gender-neutral parental leave policy. Etsy’s video demonstrates the humanizing effect of employee storytelling.
In this video, parents share their perspective on Etsy’s new policy, communicating how monumental the extended leave has been for their lives.
When a gender-blind parental leave policy is in place, companies benefit from advancing gender equality within the company and society as a whole.
Why it works
The U.S. is one of the only developed countries in the world without a government paid maternity or paternity leave policy — which impacts working mothers in particular. This is a great example of Etsy’s commitment to creating a gender-inclusive workplace. This type of content is ideal for attracting and retaining talent who have strong familial values.
With millennials and gen Z talent expected to account for 58% of the workforce in the next decade, brands are in a unique position to attract the next generation of talent by stepping up and taking the lead on addressing social justice and environmental issues. Brands who fail to display strength in the face of adversity will be directly impacted by a negative brand perception, lost revenue, and a poor employer brand.
Conversely, brands that take the lead in continuously creating content that demonstrates their commitment to tackling the issues of today will continue to have a competitive edge in terms of talent attraction and business performance.
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About The Employer Brand Shop
The Employer Brand Shop is a boutique recruitment marketing and employer brand agency located in Kitchener, Canada. Our team helps organizations around the world attract and engage talent using creative marketing strategies.