Employees often want to work for orgs that make a difference

As employers look for new ways to recruit and retain talent, one strategy that has the potential to make a difference is value alignment—offering employees a mission beyond their day-to-day job that aligns with their values. 

Over eight in 10 (82%) U.S. professionals surveyed by LinkedIn from December 2022 to March 2023 said it’s important to work for a company where the culture and values are aligned with their own. Additionally, employees who feel value alignment with their employers are less likely to look for a new job, according to 2022 Qualtrics data. 

Employees are searching for meaning through work, the BBC reported in 2022. In the past, the traditional relationship between employees and employers was thought to be transactional: Show up, do your job, get paid. But this arrangement no longer seems to be working. 

HR pros looking to attract, retain, and engage employees should consider matching their employees’ values with those of the organization, researchers suggested. 

“[Understanding] the company’s values and how it aligns to the business is critical,” according to the report. “That’s what hooks employees, knowing that their employer is truly committed to the mission and is willing to show it through various methods.”