Troy, Michigan based Kelly Services, Inc. today released the results of their survey, The Kelly Global Workforce Index, which surveyed about 100,000 people in 34 countries throughout North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific, regarding their views on social responsibility as an incentive to accept employment and tracks differences between respondents, depending on their generation.

The survey showed that, while employees across all age generations and regions tend to prefer companies with well developed social, ethical and environmental policies, baby boomers seem especially likely to be concerned with a company’s social responsibility factor, as a gauge of suitability for employment.

Here are key findings of the survey, from KellyServices.com:

• Almost 90 percent of respondents say they are more likely to work for an organization that is considered ethically and socially responsible, something that is consistent across all age generations.
• 80 percent are more likely to work for an organization that is considered environmentally responsible, a figure that is considerably higher among older age groups.
• In deciding where to work, an organization’s reputation for ethical conduct is considered ‘very important’ by 65 percent of Gen Y, 72 percent of Gen X, and 77 percent of baby boomers.
• 46 percent of Gen Y would be prepared to forego pay or promotion to work for an organization with a good reputation, rising to 48 percent for Gen X and 53 percent for baby boomers.
• In deciding where to work, policies to address global warming are considered ‘very important’ by 31 percent of Gen Y, rising to 35 percent among Gen X and 36 percent for baby boomers.

North America
• 90 percent say they are more likely to want to work for an organization that is considered ethically and socially responsible, the highest of any region of the globe.
• 83 percent say they are more likely to want to work for an organization that is considered environmentally responsible, again the highest of any region.
• In deciding where to work, 35 percent say that policies to address global warming are ‘very important’ and 53 percent say they are ‘somewhat important.’
• In deciding where to work, 82 percent say an employer’s reputation for ethical conduct is ‘very important’ and 17 percent say it is ‘somewhat important.’
• Almost half (49 percent) would be prepared to accept a lower salary or a lesser role to work for a firm with a positive approach to the environment, employees and the community.

Europe
• 86 percent say they are more likely to want to work for an organization that is considered ethically and socially responsible.
• 79 percent say they are more likely to want to work for an organization that is considered environmentally responsible.
• In deciding where to work, 29 percent say that policies to address global warming are ‘very important’, and 57 percent say they are ‘somewhat important.’
• In deciding where to work, 62 percent say an employer’s reputation for ethical conduct is ‘very important’ and 34 percent say it is ‘somewhat important.’
• More than a third (42 percent) would be prepared to accept a lower salary or a lesser role to work for a firm with a positive approach to the environment, employees and the community.

Asia Pacific
• 87 percent say they are more likely to want to work for an organization that is considered ethically and socially responsible.
• 81 percent say they are more likely to want to work for an organization that is considered environmentally responsible.
• In deciding where to work, 39 percent say that policies to address global warming are ‘very important’, a level higher than in either North America or Europe.
• In deciding where to work, 71 percent say an employer’s reputation for ethical conduct is ‘very important’ and 27 percent say it is ‘somewhat important.’

• More than half (56 percent) would be prepared to accept a lower salary or a lesser role to work for a firm with a positive approach to the environment, employees and the community, higher than in both North America and Europe.

This would appear to show that companies will need to be aware of their social footprint in order to attract and retain high quality employees, of any generation, but that baby boomers, in particular, are most concerned with the social responsibility of potential employers.