Marketing Director
26% of UK workers say that they would take a significant pay cut to work for an environmentally-friendly company, according to research by Total Jobs. What’s more, one-half say that they wouldn’t work for a company that didn’t consider the environment in its practices. This shows that if you want the best candidates to apply for the vacancies your e-commerce business has on offer, it’s crucial that your company is as green possible.
Employers: how to make your business ‘go green’
Commit to change
80% of employees say that their existing employer needs to take action to go greener. With so many workers unimpressed by their current employer’s bids to be eco-friendly, these are all potential candidates for the next position in your e-commerce business. To entice these individuals, consider setting public goals, such as:
- Increasing your recyclable materials by 50% within a year
- Sourcing 20% more of your product materials from local suppliers within a year
- Signing up to schemes such as Earth Day or TUC’s Go Green At Work campaign
As 28% of job applicants say they review a company’s credentials online before an interview, make sure your eco-friendly aims are easily accessible on your website.
Ditch unnecessary packaging
75% of UK shoppers say that online retailers need to use more sustainable packaging, and they’re willing to pay an average of 82 pence more for it. Amazon is one company that is working on FFP (Fuss Free Packaging). They ship items over a certain size in their original packaging to avoid the use of an additional box. Other ways to ensure your online business is green include using recyclable cardboard packaging and reusable shipping bags. You could even encourage your customers to recycle their packaging in return for a discount. Job seekers that see you are committed to using less packaging are more likely to apply for a job with you as they’ll recognise it as a step in the right direction and that you’ll be open to adopting more eco-friendly practices in the future.
Go green with your deliveries
It’s not just sustainable packaging that UK consumers want the items they buy to be delivered in; they also want them to be delivered in an eco-friendly vehicle. 26% say that they’d prefer to buy from an online retailer than delivers their goods in an electric vehicle. Offering green delivery services is something that will encourage people to apply for a job with you too. By 2040 all vehicles on UK roads must be emission-free. But as there are currently fewer than 200,000 electric vehicles on British roads, most people haven’t yet driven one. But getting a job as a driver for your e-commerce business will excite job seekers who are keen to drive one of these cars of the future.
Online businesses that go as eco-friendly as possible are more likely to make a success of their venture. But, best of all, you’ll get to choose employees from a bigger number of candidates compared to your rivals as a result of showing how committed you are to the environment.
If you are an employer looking for help with your next hiring process, contact us today and we’d love to help.
