People no longer choose their job for the money it brings them or for the prospect of career development.
Today, among the elements most valued by talent, appears the purpose”: that is, that what they do is significant, leaves a mark, generates some positive impact on society, serves for a bigger objective than generating profitability or sell a product or service.
Gartner confirms this presumption with data: the consulting firm specialized in technology found that following the pandemic, 65% of people rethought the role of work in their lives, 56% felt the desire to contribute more to society, and 52% started to question the why of what he did day following day in the office.
From the foregoing it would seem to be deduced that companies that seek to be successful in the market, attract the best talent and position themselves with respect to their clients should concentrate their efforts on defining a lofty purpose.
After the pandemic, 65% of people rethought what work was In their lifes; 52% of them began to question why they did what they did, day following day, in the office
However, the problem that companies are currently facing has nothing to do with a lack of purpose, but rather with a lack of credibility.
Being credible: the problem of companies
For a long time, companies have hopped on right-thinking and politically correct slogans to get attention: a kind of marketing of kindness, all garnished with beautiful words and powerful images. The problem is that not in all cases they were willing to carry out the real actions that that purpose indicated.
In Argentina, around 70% of workers would change jobs
For example, speaking specifically in terms of sustainability, we can say that it is “the” word that circulates in the offices of CEOs: ESG strategies (abbreviations in English for environmental, social and governance actions) dominate the agenda and concern due to global warming and the carbon footprint appears in all the plans for the coming year.
However, when the consultancy Voices! went out to ask consumers last year if they considered that companies handle sustainability strategies seriously and responsibly, only 19% said yes. For the vast majority it was “just marketing to the masses”.
Business credibility: from saying to fact
The big problem that organizations suffer today It is not the lack of purpose, but the lack of credibility. Human beings are more and more informed, we are more and more demanding and we have become more sensitive and perceptive. We are very alert to the tone of voice, gestures and inflections of others: we are able to draw accurate conclusions from a few words and even a few silences.
Let’s extend this ability to “interpret” the gestures of an organization: if the transcendent cause that it states -through truthful, verifiable and transparent communication methods- is not backed by concrete, real and measurable facts, the ability to attract talent will be limited and the retention power will tend to zero.
How to attract and retain talented employees
A key element for the success of any group breaks at great speed: the trust between leaders and their teams. In armies, lack of credibility only leads to desertions.
The Honesty and consistency are all or nothing: there is no range of grays. You can’t be “a little credible” any more than you can have “a little purpose”.
Keys to achieving happiness at work
People really seek to give meaning to their day-to-day work and are willing in many cases to give up many things (including more money or better working conditions) if they get a position in a company that has values similar to theirs.
Of course: they are not willing to be tempted with words. They need hard facts.
*CEO and Partner of Olivia
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