Go Green and Recruit the Right Talent

''Going green'' is a hot topic today, not just among companies but also among talented professionals. Companies are realizing that more young people and experienced professionals are turning towards environmentally responsible employers. Most of them feel a sense of pride in representing green companies. As this trend catches on globally, human resources professionals are playing an important role in spreading ''greenness'' from the ground up in their companies.

The push for greener business practices is finding quick acceptance in the corporate world as companies realize the benefits of going green, especially when it comes to attracting and retaining talent. Human resources professionals are driving the environmentally friendly policies in their companies today. The role has come to them naturally as the greening process involves educating employees, engaging them in green ideas and actions, and using the entire process to project an image of a green company in order to attract and retain good talent. Undoubtedly, no one works more closely with every employee in the company than the HR personnel.

From using emails for inter- and intra-office communication to sending online newsletters, many companies are going paperless or at least cutting back on their paper consumption. They have adopted recycled paper in their systems. And they are talking about it to their clients, partners, and everyone else through advertisements.

Employees are being encouraged to participate in carpools, take public transportation, or even walk and bicycle to the office to keep fit and save fuel costs. Recyclable printer cartridges, LED lamps to cut down electricity consumption, biodegradable soaps, and partnering with environmentally friendly suppliers are other methods adopted by these companies.

The benefits companies derive from such initiatives include:

Improved morale of existing employees

Increased employee loyalty and retention

Better employee referrals and better talent

A positive company image

A special bond with consumers

An improved bottom line

A green workplace has a competitive edge over others as professionals prefer to work for companies that are sensitive towards the environment. Soon the number of companies talking about the environment and their responsibility for it will increase, which will result in hot competition for the available talent pool. Thus, HR professionals are busy talking about their green workplaces and using every means available to recruit the best talent in the market.
Here are a few tips for human resources professionals who want to leverage their companies’ eco-friendly initiatives:

Reach out to potential employees to let them know about your green efforts. Gain visibility by speaking at green events and conferences, advertising in industry magazines, or talking about company initiatives in blogs.

Use specialist job boards and recruiters that focus on recruiting for green companies. They are already popular among professionals with eco-friendly mindsets.

Organize road shows with green themes at colleges you want to recruit from.

Reward socially conscious employees or give them benefits like paid time off for participating in socially responsible activities.

Going green will soon cease to be an option for companies. It is gradually becoming a formal process in many companies, requiring human resources professionals to formulate new policies and procedures.

Conclusion

Finding and retaining the right talent is crucial for the success of any company. As young professionals lean towards companies that are eco-sensitive, human resources professionals are changing how they attract and retain them. They are playing an integral part in helping their companies go green and advertising it to current employees and potential candidates!

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Go Green and Recruit the Right Talent