Internal CSR: How to measure employee engagement to improve corporate social responsibility
Rebecca is the type of computer science graduate that any firm would love to recruit: a highly driven team-player that has the technical know-how to hit the ground running. Firms recognized this, and she’d obtained a coveted position as a software engineer intern with a tech company you’re likely familiar with. She intended to make the most of the opportunity in order to secure a permanent position with the firm following her graduation.
When I caught up with Rebecca in October, she mentioned that she wouldn’t be staying with the company post-graduation. Before I could offer my commiserations, she stated that it was her choice to leave. “It’s not because they didn’t want me to stay, but because I didn’t really feel like myself while working there, _____ didn’t really represent who I see myself as.” I was certainly caught off-guard by her sentiment, and maybe the firm she worked at was too. However, stories like Rebecca’s are more common than ever in today’s recruitment environment.
The question that firms are left with is why can’t employees like Rebecca see themselves in their former dream jobs, and what can firms do to address that?
References
- Meier, S., & Cassar, L. (2018, January 31). Stop talking about how CSR helps your bottom line. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved May 19, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2018/01/stop-talking-about-how-csr-helps-your-bottom-line
- King, A., & Threlfall, R. (2020, December). The time has come. KPMG. Retrieved May 19, 2022, from https://home.kpmg/xx/en/home/insights/2020/11/the-time-has-come-survey-of-sustainability-reporting.html
- Stobierski, T. (2021, April 8). Types of corporate social responsibility to be aware of. Business Insights Blog. Retrieved May 19, 2022, from https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/types-of-corporate-social-responsibility
- Briscese, G., Feltovich, N., & Slonim, R. (2021, April 3). The hidden costs of corporate social responsibility. VOX, CEPR Policy Portal. Retrieved May 19, 2022, from https://voxeu.org/article/hidden-costs-corporate-social-responsibility#:~:text=2020)
- Limeade. (2020). 2020 Employee Care Report. Retrieved May 19, 2022, from https://www.limeade.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-Employee-Care-Report.pdf
About the Authors
Nima Toussi
Nima is a student at the University of British Columbia studying behavioral neuroscience and physiology. He's interested in how behavioral neuroeconomics concepts influence health-centered decision-making and relationships. He hopes to apply these concepts to change how decision-makers in health-related areas perceive and implement solutions. Nima can usually be found in one of the several cafes he's adopted as his office.
Dr. Sekoul Krastev
Sekoul is a Co-Founder and Managing Director at The Decision Lab. He is a bestselling author of Intention - a book he wrote with Wiley on the mindful application of behavioral science in organizations. A decision scientist with a PhD in Decision Neuroscience from McGill University, Sekoul's work has been featured in peer-reviewed journals and has been presented at conferences around the world. Sekoul previously advised management on innovation and engagement strategy at The Boston Consulting Group as well as on online media strategy at Google. He has a deep interest in the applications of behavioral science to new technology and has published on these topics in places such as the Huffington Post and Strategy & Business.
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