Workersí Perceptions of Companiesí Environmental Policies Is Key Factor In Employee Engagement

Employees who are satisfied with their employerís concern for the environment are more likely to take pride in their jobs ñ a key factor in increasing the engagement of workers, according to research by Sirota Survey Intelligence, specialists in attitude research.

However, the level of employeesí satisfaction with their employersí environmental policies decreases further down the organisational ladder, with senior-level executives the most satisfied, hourly employees the least favourable, and middle managersí views falling in between. Key findings are as follows:

- 82 percent of employees who are satisfied with their organisationís concern for the environment said they are proud to work for their employers, according to the study of over 80,000 employees by Sirota Survey Intelligence (www.sirota.com).

- However, just 55 percent of employees who view their employerís environmental positions unfavourably express pride in working for their organisations.

- Employeesí satisfaction with their employersí concern for the environment decreases further down the organisational ladder. 93 percent of senior-level executives are satisfied with their employersí environmental concern, while 85 percent of middle managers and 70 percent of hourly workers look favourably toward their employersí environmental policies, according to the study.

ìAn organisationís environmental efforts originate at the top, and senior-level managementís participation is vital to achieving success,î said Nick Starritt, Managing Director of Sirota Survey Intelligence, Europe (www.sirota.com) ìLower-level employees may not be as involved in planning, or in carrying out, these endeavours ñ or even know about them ñ because they havenít been effectively communicated to all organisational levels.î

ìOur research demonstrates that companies can enhance a key component of employee engagement ñ workersí pride in their employers ñ by improving their environmental concern, and by better publicizing and communicating their environmental activities to increase all employeesí awareness of them,î Starritt said.

Environmentally-friendly policies are considered a key component of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Other research by Sirota Survey Intelligence showed that employees who are satisfied with their companyís commitment to social responsibility have high levels of employee engagement, and positive views about their employerís competitiveness, integrity, and interest in their well-being.

70 percent of employees have a positive view of their organisationís CSR policies, according to a study of 1.6 million employees from more than 70 organisations by Sirota Survey Intelligence.

Of those who are satisfied with their employerís CSR commitment:

o 86 percent have high levels of engagement
o 82 percent feel their organisation is highly competitive in the marketplace
o 75 percent feel their employer is interested in their well-being
o 71 percent rate senior management as having high integrity

ìOrganisations that demonstrate environmentally-friendly behavior are taking a major step toward their workers viewing them as being socially responsible, and are better positioned to reap the many employee-related benefits that Sirota has correlated with that perception,î Starritt added.