One great way to attract younger, environment conscious job seekers, businesses need to be mindful of where they post job openings and how they communicate their green initiatives to potential candidates. Posting on digital job boards like OfferUp Jobs is a great way to reach a target audience that is already committed to sustainable practices. OfferUp Jobs is a recommerce platform that promotes sustainability and recycling, making it a natural fit for eco-conscious job seekers who are already using the app to buy and sell goods.
To take advantage of OfferUp jobs posts, businesses should be ready to effectively communicate their green efforts to potential candidates. This can be done by highlighting their goals to become more eco-conscious and the steps they are taking to achieve those goals. However, it's important to be honest and transparent about the extent of their green efforts. Younger generations are tech-savvy and can easily fact-check companies that make exaggerated claims about their environmental impact.
Finally, businesses should consider modifying their hiring processes to be less harmful to the environment. For example, hosting interviews over video conferencing platforms like Zoom or Google Meet can help reduce emissions from travel.
Go green to get more job applicants
Concern regarding climate change and sustainable business practices is steadily growing, especially among Millennials and Gen Z. Nearly 70% of Gen Zers feel anxious about the future of our planet, and one in four of them have acted to combat the negative effects of climate change by donating money, contacting elected officials, and attending rallies to raise awareness.
Unlike previous generations, Gen Zers aren’t just concerned about their environmental impact; they are motivated to act and make changes to reduce their personal carbon footprints — including only applying for jobs with companies who are also actively trying to reduce their own environmental impact.
Today’s “green” employer”
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of employees worked in an office or dedicated workspace in close proximity to their colleagues. This made it easy for companies to apply in-house initiatives to increase sustainability like installing hand dryers instead of using paper towels, placing recycling bins around the office, swapping out old lights for more energy-efficient bulbs, and asking employees to carpool.
However, the hybrid and remote work models have completely changed our work environments and many traditional initiatives no longer have the impact they used to. Today’s “green” employer looks a lot different than it did pre-COVID. Companies are now looking to reduce their environmental impacts by evaluating energy and material sources to choose more eco-friendly suppliers. They’re also looking at how they encourage environmentally friendly habits on an individual level by offering volunteer days, hosting Earth Day and health competitions, and teaching classes and workshops to increase awareness among employees.
There are many ways for companies to lower their environmental impact and operate more sustainably. Today’s work environment just requires a little more effort and creativity than it did in years past and Gen Z is watching to see which employers care enough about the environment to put in the time and effort to make a difference.
Why OfferUp is the great place to find candidates
Knowing that Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to apply for companies who share their passion for environmental protection and preservation is a key piece of information every employer should take to heart for two reasons:
1. It helps you know WHERE to post.
Preference for eco-friendly companies doesn’t just apply to employers, but also to job boards that advertise the open position. Many Gen Zers frequent online job boards because they are digital and reduce paper waste, but some may favor one job board over another because of the company’s environmental efforts.
OfferUp, for example, is the leading mobile recommerce platform that promotes sustainability and recycling. With a large number of users in the 20 to 40 demographic range, OfferUp gives you a great way to promote your openings to Gen Zers and other eco-conscious users who support green shopping. After all, with 1 out of 5 adults using OfferUp every year to buy and sell goods, they’ve already seen millions of users already browse job openings.
2. It helps you know HOW to post.
The second reason it’s important to understand Gen Zers’ dedication to environmentally-friendly companies and products is so you can use the information to develop effective, eco-friendly recruiting strategies.
Make sure you’re effectively communicating your green efforts to potential candidates. Share a bit about your company’s goals to be more eco-conscious and highlight what you’re doing now to achieve those goals.
Don’t forget to also consider what other aspects of your hiring process you could modify to be less harmful to the environment. If you have your potential candidates typically drive into the office for interviews, maybe consider hosting interviews over Zoom or Google Meet in order to reduce the number of vehicles on the road and cut down on emissions from traveling.
OfferUp Jobs: a new way to hire
As a recommerce platform, OfferUp is at the heart of sustainability and we want to help employers “go green” by reducing paper waste, while also simplifying the hiring process. With OfferUp Jobs, companies can be enabled to reach their goals and reduce their environmental impact while also appealing to younger job candidates who are also passionate about fighting climate change.
Check out OfferUp Jobs today and take your first step toward a greener hiring future!