72% of UK workers have considered quitting their jobs, as companies favour profit over purpose
New report reveals how wellbeing, social responsibility and sustainability drives job satisfaction and a more engaged workforce
Nine of out 10 (88%) of UK workers care about working for an organisation with a purpose beyond making money, but only 30% believe their employer puts people or the planet above profit. That’s according to new research carried out with 2,000 UK workers by youdo, a mobile app that connects employees, wellbeing, and environmental and social initiatives.
The youdo research, set out in a new report Healthy People, Healthy Planet, also reveals that 72% of UK workers have considered quitting their jobs, with one in five citing the key reason being that their company cares about profit over purpose.
The report highlights a clear link between wellbeing and environmental initiatives and job satisfaction:
- 70% of UK workers say job satisfaction would improve if they knew their company cared about its societal impact
- 63% of UK workers say job satisfaction is influenced by their company’s impact on the environment
Commenting on the research findings, George Chaytor-Norris, co-founder and CEO of youdo, comments, “The last 18 months has reinforced the importance of mental and physical wellbeing, at a time when we are also becoming much more conscious of our environmental impact. With the need to retain talent at an all-time high, the youdo research shows how important it’s become for organisations to strengthen human and environmental connection to drive job satisfaction and employee engagement.”
The youdo research shows a strong appetite from UK workers to get involved in purpose-led initiatives, but organisations need to shape these to make them relevant and engaging:
- 84% of workers want to be involved in wellbeing and environmental initiatives
- But only 18% of workers say current company initiatives are relevant to their personal interests
- Workers are keen to take an active role in driving schemes, by contributing new ideas (50%), voting on courses of action (37%) and running initiatives (30%)
Chaytor-Norris adds: “As employees question the type of organisation they want to work for, there’s a clear appetite to be part of a purpose-driven organisation that puts people and the planet first. By working together, the C-suite, HR and ESG departments can empower employees to connect with each other and shape the future of the organisation, and that will be incredibly powerful in creating a happier and healthier planet.”
The youdo platform brings together wellbeing and sustainable impact through employee connections. Employees are empowered to do what they love with like-minded colleagues, with every activity, whether it’s two or 200 people, earning Earth Tokens, which can be redeemed as a donation to an impact project (e.g., a charity or non-for-profit organisation).
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Methodology
Research findings are based on a survey conducted by Censuswide between April 14 – April 19, 2022, with 2,000 adults aged 18 years and above who work more than 30 hours per week in the UK. The survey explored how connected UK workers feel to each other and the environment, job satisfaction and the type of organisation people want to work, and how important corporate social and environment initiatives are to workers today.
About youdo
youdo is a mobile-first platform that can help companies execute their ESG strategies with an emphasis on strengthening employee social bonds, bringing purpose to wellbeing and providing measurable impact. The app enables every employee to create groups for activities that they enjoy (e.g. cycling, yoga, painting, chess) and every time an activity is completed by two or more people, either together in-person or remotely, the app generates a youdo ‘Earth Token’ and these are redeemed as a donation to an environmental or social impact project. youdo brings purpose to employee connections and makes employees feel more engaged and empowered because they see their efforts having a positive impact on the world around them. Learn more at https://youdoplay.org/.