It’s paramount for businesses to cater to the new generation of talent. Demands for corporate transparency are only accelerating, which means it’s time for action, not just words.
The green revolution poses an exciting opportunity for businesses to review what will attract the talent of tomorrow. Not only do we need to look at hiring approaches, but how to remain attractive to current and prospective employees whilst meeting the green agenda and driving project success. Here is where technology can help.
A new generation of needs
Hiring green talent is a paper-free process with strategies in place to cause minimal environmental impact. Companies can share this with prospective hires to reflect the green commitments of the company from the get go. Given young professionals are looking for increasingly holistic work environments, the hunt for future talent must meet the demands for a company's drive to net-zero or risk falling behind.
People want to make a difference. The urgency for better energy resources has never been more prevalent. Proof points of how a business is committed to reducing its carbon footprint are fundamental. Fortunately, the opportunities to go green are growing and becoming more accessible, impacting positive brand perceptions, and helping to attract talent and improve staff turnover.
Below are a few top tips for businesses looking to hire green talent as we transition on the road to net-zero:
Tip 1. Green digital facilities
This new generation of workers prioritises the companies that can deliver the proof points to match their desire for change. Being at the cutting edge of green tech is a tip for businesses looking to meet these needs.
Having digital facilities will maximise the utility of assets, streamline processes and enhance productivity. Businesses will be able to offset utilisation, which will have a significant impact on the environment.
Leadership can be demonstrated by adopting digital systems such as automation and paperless processes to reduce operational expenses. Harnessing this technology to capture data will facilitate the highest levels of business performance, a competitive advantage when attracting talent.
Investing in business technology such as AI and machine learning can recognise and take on menial and tedious workplace tasks to refocus efforts that need immediate human attention. AI enables the better use of resources to develop new, low carbon approaches that will benefit people and the planet when recruiting.
Tip 2. Resources for hybrid work
Hybrid systems enable talent engagement to no longer be confined by locality. The talent pool significantly expands, which allows companies to reap the expertise of professionals globally. Striking the right balance between productive collaboration may be challenging, but using modern digital tools to measure the effectiveness of existing systems in place will be essential as hybrid strategies develop.
Revising and upgrading internal productivity tools for all aspects of the company, from people, systems and equipment, will drive long-term, sustainable innovation. A key element to making hybrid work productive is utilising the real-time information at your fingertips to gain performance oversight, enabling cost and risk control impact on knowledge transfer and ultimately performance.
Tip 3. Powering the gig economy
Alternative ways of working have accelerated over the past 18 months. We have witnessed a dynamic shift in how both individuals and businesses operate. As the trend continues and the new way of working is here to stay, businesses will have to re-evaluate their working relationships with the gig economy if they hope to remain competitive as the landscape shifts during the energy transition.
As our digital capabilities expand, so do the opportunities to implement technology to engage with current and prospective gig workers. Businesses can digitally innovate within this new era of flexible work with AI-driven data. Companies can instantaneously highlight the most appropriate candidate based on their skillset or use digital recruiting software to save time and human resources. Maximising the opportunities presented with recruitment technology can lead to a fairer and effective application and reduce outputs for a greener future.
Tomorrow’s talent transition
Making green commitments part of your core corporate mission to show investment in the future will be key for businesses looking to be recognised leaders as we transition. Strategising the integration of low-carbon technology is a starting point for those looking to attract a new, fierce generation of workers.
Digital technology must be at the heart of our global fight against climate change and will greatly boost company culture and increase demand for the best talent applications. Engaging the gig economy and using digital to connect with workers globally will open up the skill pool to deliver successful projects on time.
It’s time for businesses across industries to take accountability and make big strides towards a new, low-carbon world.
Andrew Conway is CTO at Proteus developed by Xergy
