The Wall Street Journal published an article this week, "I don't have a Job: I have a Higher Calling." It was in the February 25th Business & Tech section (love their provocative stories) and it is about employers stepping up to talk about how their company is changing the world. This is the quest for engaging and attracting talent. Frankly, it is about time we are asking the question "what matters to our employees and what matters to us?"
I understand the perspective this writer takes which is skeptical. Maybe not everyone is looking for a social cause to align with and that making a decent income can be more important, however, there are other views to consider. As a recruiter and talking with new grads, entry level employees all the way up to managers and executives, most want to commit to companies that believe good work and doing good pays off. It can be as simple as that and yes, they need a pay check too.
Meaning and purpose is totally dependent upon what we care about. It does not mean that everyone who works for that company derives meaning from their work. I see that workers will commit to a culture that values doing the right thing and that is enough for some. Others want to make sure they understand there is social capitalism at play and not just bottom line reactive thinking.
I must commend companies like Juniper Networks and Harley-Davidson Motor who are making the connections between what they do and how it serves us. Everyone comes with their own set of values and helping to build the bridge and differentiate as an employer should be applauded. How many times do you read job postings for really cool companies and it sounds like something out of a research text. Maybe we over-reach for awhile and find the story for each organization that can spark interest and passion while also offering just a great way to work and also pay the bills.
Thank you Wall Street Journal and all those companies out there for offering provocative ideas that in fact, will change the world!