Credit unions values can be leveraged as a recruiting tool toattract people who are motivated by working in “impact jobs” thatmake a positive difference, according to a new report fromthe FileneResearch Institute in Madison, Wis.

Filene Research Institute partnered with Net Impact, a SanFrancisco-based nonprofit group that works within and beyondbusiness to address social and environmental problems., to conducta survey to find out how people view “impact jobs,” or jobs thatprovide employees with the opportunity to make a social orenvironmental impact.

The survey looked at national sample of 1,726 universitystudents about to enter the workforce and currently employedfour-year college graduates from three generations: Millennials(between the ages of 21 and 32), Generation X (between 33 and 48),and Baby Boomers (between 49 and 65).

Some of the survey's findings included:

• Responding to the statement, “Having a job where I can make animpact on causes or issues that are important to me,” 72% ofcollege students surveyed said it was either essential or veryimportant. That's 13 percentage points more than Millennials and 23more than Gen Xers.
• The survey also found 60% of women said that working for acompany that prioritizes social and environmental responsibility isvery important to them, compared with 38% of men. As a result,organizations that invest in impact jobs may have more success inrecruiting women.

• Slightly more than half of professionals (55%) said they arecurrently in a job where they can make a social or environmentalimpact. In addition, 45% of employees who said they worked directlyon a product or service that make a positive social impact reportbeing very satisfied with their jobs.

• A majority of students (65%) expect to make a positive socialor environmental difference in the world at some point throughtheir work. Credit unions that offer students direct ways to make adifference through their job will have a recruiting advantage, thereport said.

“Not every credit union is positioned to take advantage of thesetrends,” the report concluded. “For some, the idea of a creditunion movement is a memory, not a motivation. And that's just fine.But credit unions that see their differentiator as doing good bymembers every day should take these findings to heart and usesocial responsibility to attract conscientious employees. They willthen become conscientious leaders.”