1 in 4 UK managers would take pay cut for more 'purposeful' job

A new YouGov survey has found that 27% of UK company managers say they would take a pay cut to work for a business with a defined purpose beyond simply making a profit.

In what the HR Review website describes as “a signal to employers looking to attract and retain talent in a changeable and competitive commercial landscape,” 1 in 4 managers would consider leaving their current role if the employer’s greater purpose was unclear.  More than half said they would leave if the company’s values and purpose did not align with their own.

YouGov’s findings form part of a report, commissioned by Danone UK, which also includes feedback from interviews with senior managers of household name brands – including John Lewis, Mars, Philips and Unilever.

The report also found that employees with a sense of purpose are more engaged and less stressed at work.

Companies that are…                                        Purpose-led           Non-purpose-led
 
I say more positive than negative                                     81%                                 40%
things about my company

I feel engaged and committed to my work                     89%                                  59%
 
Which factors do you think negatively
affect employee engagement at your
company?
 
1. Stress caused by managerial pressure                         24%                                    44%
on short-term results

2. Disappearance of traditional career paths                  29%                                    43%

3. Poor work/life balance                                                    41%                                    55%
 

​However, only 55% of the managers who participated in survey believe it is their responsibility to create a culture in which colleagues understand the ‘purpose beyond profit’ of their organisation.

How can MSB help?

We have a 30 year track record of designing, delivering and sustaining major, tailored culture change programmes for public and private sector organisations - from airlines and multinational banks to government departments and NHS Trusts.

Most recently, MSB has been implementing a significant culture and behavioural change programme with a high profile, quasi-autonomous government agency in the Middle East.  The case study can be found here - http://www.msbconsultancy.com/tamkeen.html