Millennial and Gen Z workers have a high desire to learn new skills through professional development. Mixing this desire with training in sustainability can help your company thrive now and in the future.
A study by Workplace Intelligence, in partnership with Amazon, found that nearly three-quarters of millennial and Gen Z employees were likely to leave their position this year due to a lack of opportunities in skills development.
That breeds a real opportunity for employers that offer professional development of the future (sustainability). Creating these types of programs for your employees may eventually pay for themselves in multiple ways with benefits such as brand recognition and real savings through reduced power use becoming a possibility. Additionally, employee loyalty and retention are an invaluable part of this process.
With sustainability potentially being outside of the wheelhouse of some organizations, companies may have to consider obtaining an outside consultant for training. Other options include tuition reimbursement for your current staff, which can be a valuable investment over time.
Employers who head down the road of “green” education should also be open and willing to the possibility of implementing the sustainable elements that these recently educated employees now hold in their hands. Implementation of sustainable practices in organizations can also lead to employee loyalty and retention, along with higher productivity. Brand recognition and loyalty also come along with sustainability for companies.
What are the benefits of green education for my team?
- Green education (professional development) and implementing sustainable practices can both lead to higher employee retention rates, employee loyalty and increased productivity.
- Brand recognition will come with stepping into the future (and modernization) of business practices and doing good for the community.
- Over time, the potential for ROI becomes possible.
How do I get started with green education and sustainability implementation?
With the new year upon us, it’s a great time to consider putting a green education program together at your organization or company. Some of the ways already covered were tuition reimbursement or working with a consultant. This decision will vary depending on cost and time.
Once sustainability education has occurred, don’t forget to encourage changes toward a more sustainable environment at your business or organization. There is some benefit to professional development, but it can double by using the skills you backed your employee in obtaining.
Sustainable practices can lead to a change in company culture over time. An important part of sustainability to remember is that it takes your whole team and looking at your company’s mission and vision to figure out the best path forward. Sustainability doesn’t occur with the flick of a switch.