Attracting the best people in a downturn while meeting CSR imperatives

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Permalink Reply by Ben Richards on June 26, 2009 at 9:48am

I think companies are thinking creatively at the moment - this being the case, why not send your top talent off for a couple of months' unpaid leave in Kenya? Even if employers were to cover a volunteer's rent/mortgage payments, they'd save money, their people would develop for free, and individuals would get an adventure away from their office. Sounds fairly "win-win" to me (providing you can argue that the business benefit of working with you outweights your fees...)

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Permalink Reply by Will Snell on July 2, 2009 at 12:39pm

Exactly - and while it's hard to provide hard numerical evidence, it's certainly the case that the benefits outweigh our fees, which are modest, even in the current economic climate!

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Permalink Reply by Marcus Westling on July 1, 2009 at 7:57am

I think it's a great idea and wish I would've had the opportunity with past employers. The current climate might make some companies a bit wary of trying something "new", but maybe that's exactly what they need!

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Permalink Reply by Will Snell on July 2, 2009 at 12:40pm

We would argue strongly that the need is even greater in this climate. It's all about holding onto the best people, and offering these kinds of activities are a very cost-effective way of doing this...

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Dinger on July 2, 2009 at 10:06am

I think it's a great idea, what type of "fight back," if any, have you experienced from companies your are selling it to?

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Permalink Reply by Will Snell on July 2, 2009 at 12:41pm

So far feedback has been very positive. The main barrier has been the elaborate decision-making structures, and knowing which part of the company to approach - Head of HR, Head of CSR, heads of business units...

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