Sustainability Applies to Your Employees, Too

Editor’s note: This piece is part of our Columnist Network series, which explores the tactical thoughts and actions from Adweek’s community of high-level experts. Today's column is the first installment in a series on sustainability with Jonathan Hanson, co-founder and CCO of Unconquered. His conversation with leaders at The Little Market examines principles of sustainability through a human lens. As the Great Resignation in the U.S. workforce continues, employers are regularly discussing how to attract new talent and retain existing team members while trying to understand the core reasons people are leaving at a higher rate than before. As a result of refocused priorities after living during a pandemic, workers are reacting to having an undignified work experience. We spend a large part of our life at work, where coworkers and leadership contribute to the workplace experience and overall quality of life. Recognition, fair pay and trust are a large part of feeling dignified, so it’s no surprise that when these are lacking, workers are less productive and more likely to quit. Sociologist Andrew Sayer connects dignified workplaces with people who are allowed to be autonomous, given the opportunity for self mastery and feel the value they bring to their work are acknowledged and respected. In a recent interview on the Conquer the Noise podcast, Hannah Taylor Skvarla, co-founder of nonprofit trade shop The Little Market, and chief program officer Liesl Gerntholtz touch on this topic, sharing how creating dignified work and aligning values enabled them to cultivate social change and community both internally and externally in their organization. The Little Market provides living wages and dignified work to women worldwide by extending their products’ distribution. Their business is a proof of concept, showing that when people are valued and earn a living wage, it supports a higher quality of life and motivation to continue. Skvarla describes a living wage as the ability for families to pay for essentials like school, food and rent with some discretionary income—“Unfortunately, many jobs don’t allow for these, which mandates people to work longer hours,” she says. Skvarla has developed a living wage guidance for all countries Little Market works in by thoroughly analyzing the conditions in which the products are being made and other crucial factors. This is a tactic other businesses should note—in addition to understanding industry and market rates, brand leaders can evaluate the cost of living in cities where employees reside, not just where the company is based, since remote work is prevalent. Inflation and the frequency of raises and bonuses also play into creating a living wage. Employers can address problems before they arise through retention interviews to pinpoint if the issue is compensation or something else like culture or autonomy. In our interview, Gerntholtz references how her own job satisfaction has come from feeling like the good she’s doing out in the world is replicated by doing it for the team she works with, giving her a greater connection to both The Little Market team and the artisans they work with. She ties it back to their value to treat all staff with dignity. Candidates are seeking workplaces where they can wrap their personal values in with the work they are doing, giving brand leadership an opportunity to unite workers around a common cause. Recruitment will need to tie in the brand's bigger vision and how that particular employee's role will work toward achieving it. Business leaders can take the same approach Skvarla discusses by refocusing the entire initiative around empowering people. They do not see themselves as service providers but enablers who work closely with artisans to educate them on the best business practices while preserving traditional techniques. The entire process is built on transparency at all levels that is mutually beneficial. Employers can follow this model to create a more sustainable workforce where employees want to stay and don’t get burned out. This past year, there have been countless articles about managers and CEOs worried about employee productivity as they work from home, with little attention to thinking through ways to reduce burnout and better connect through acts of kindness. Recognizing individual contributions while giving employees autonomy has the power to boost morale and a sense of ownership, which contributes to increased productivity and happiness.