how to attract top talent -...

M O R N I N G C O N S U LT B R A N D TO O L B OX

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HOW TO ATTRACT TOP TALENT

Building a brand that potential employees want to work for


WHAT’S IN THE REPORT

THE MORNING CONSULT BRAND TOOLBOX

This report is part of a series that seeks to give decision-makers a better set of tools for dealing with essential brand decisions - from managing a crisis to deepening consumer loyalty.

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WHO WE SURVEYED

This report features data on blue collar and white collar workers, as well as sub-demographics such as white collar women. For every demographic group, Morning Consult filtered out respondents who are retired or who plan on retiring within in the next five years. For a full methodology, see the final page.

INTRODUCTION Key findings and takeaways

0102COMPANY VALUES & CSRThe best ways to position your brand to attract employees

06IS YOUR BRAND ATTRACTING THE RIGHT TALENT?Request data on your brand’s performance

03CAREER MOTIVATIONS

What workers want in their careers and how that overlaps with your mission 04

POLITICAL INVOLVEMENTWhat issues your brand should speak out on (if at all) to retain and attract employees

THE MOST ADMIRED EMPLOYERS

Extensive brand tracking data reveals the companies

Americans most want to work for

05

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Levi’s had already been around for 150 yearswhen YouTube launched in 2005.

The video streaming giant bears next to nothing in common with the classic denim company. Yet both have established themselves among the most beloved brands in the country, demonstrating the wide range of paths available to becoming an icon.

While there’s no singular trend tying together each of the brands included in this report, we can draw important lessons about building a healthy brand. Here are a few of the findings I think are particularly worthy of your time:

I hope you find the rest of this report helpful. There is contact information on the last page, and I encourage you to send along any questions or feedback you may have.

SINCERELY,

Michael RamletMorning Consult Co-Founder and CEO

INTRODUCTIONK E Y T A K E A W A Y S

Offering competitive pay, fostering a positive work environment, giving employees growth opportunities... There are many tried and true ways to attract talented employees to your company. But there’s also the more complex work involved in managing perceptions of your brand. This report looks at how companies can build a reputation as a place that workers want to be a part of, from strategic political activism to pursuing a mission beyond profit.

Before diving into the full findings, here are four key takeaways from the report:

#1 White and blue collar workers largely look for the same thingsThroughout the report, we track both white and blue collar workers, and the results demonstrate that, on most matters, the two groups have relatively similar thoughts. There are some differences, such as white collar workers tend to be more culturally liberal and blue collar workers tend to be marginally more motivated by income. However on most questions, the general trends hold between groups.

#2 Employers should be mindful of the differences between generations, genders and racesAs highlighted at the end of each section, there are important differences when looking at key demographics such as age, men vs. women and minority groups. For example, white collar women are more interested than men in working for a company with a purpose beyond profit and millennials are more interested in a company focused on global change compared to older generations.

#3 Only 15% of white collar workers want their company to take strong political stances In general, workers aren’t looking to their company to take political action. Just 15 percent of white collar workers say they would prefer to work for a company that takes strong political stands, while 35 percent say they would prefer their company not get involved. The rest are more neutral or unsure. If you are going to take a stand, the most non-controversial issue tested is advocating for civil rights.

#4 Cool factor: Tech and entertainment companies dominate the most admired employers listTech companies Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are the three most admired employers, with entertainment brands Walt Disney and Netflix trailing close behind. Among the millennial cohort, the 10 most admired employers are all tech or entertainment companies.


Morning Consult is a technology company revolutionizing ways to collect, organize, and share survey research data to transform how decisions are made. Our survey research technology produces results at unprecedented scale, speed, and accuracy.

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The best ways to position your brand to attract employees

COMPANY VALUES & CSR

M O R N I N G C O N S U LT B R A N D TO O L B OXM O R N I N G C O N S U LT B R A N D TO O L B OX

WORKING FOR A MISSIONV A L U E S A N D C S R

Would you consider working at a company if you weren’t interested in their mission?

Would you rather work for a company that was:

Would you consider working at a company that didn’t have a clear purpose beyond turning profit?

Americans are divided over how important a company’s mission is to them

Most would prefer working for a company that helped locally over globally

Yes, I would consider working at the company

Committed to helping local communities


No, I would not consider working at the company

Committed to creating global change


Don’t know / No opinion



White collar workers



Blue collar workers

Blue collar workers

Blue collar workers

43%

40%

34%

36%

66%

23%

24%

18% 16%

35%

37%

37%

35%

67%

28%

29%

15% 18%


THE VALUES WORKERS WANT FROM EMPLOYERS

V A L U E S A N D C S R

The company values that are most appealing to employeesBelow are the percentage of workers who say they would be MUCH more likely to want to work for a company if it listed the following as a core value

White Collar Blue Collar

63%

59%

53%

50%

49%

49%

49%

47%

46%

45%

44%

42%

42%

41%

39%

38%

37%

Honesty

Integrity

Care for customers

Welcoming

Compassion

Teamwork

Accountability

Openness

Passion

Fun

Community

Innovation

Transparency

Determination

Diversity

Perserverance

Humility

63%

56%

53%

53%

52%

50%

49%

47%

45%

50%

45%

40%

40%

41%

38%

37%

37%


COMPANY INITIATIVES THAT APPEAL TO WORKERS


Environmental responsibility, making products in America both good ways to win favor with potential employees

Respondents were asked: If a company did the following, would it make you more or less likely to want to work for them? The numbers below reflect the percentage of people who answered more likely minus those who said less likely.

If your company offered volunteer opportunities, would it make you more or less favorable toward your company?

Offering volunteer opportunities gives employees a more favorable impression of your company

White Collar

Much more favorable

Somewhat less favorable

Somewhat more favorable

Much less favorable

Neither more nor less favorable

Don’t know/No opinion

Blue Collar

70%

70%

66%

63%

60%

58%

46%

66%

69%

64%

56%

52%

52%

39%

Made an effort to be environmentally responsible

Made an effort to produce their goods in America

Gave away a small share of their profits to a good cause

Were transparent about where their products come from/the labor process

Made an effort to hire diverse staff

Made an effort to promote women to leadership roles

Made an effort to promote people of color to leadership roles


Blue collar workers

26%

23%

35%

29%

27%

30%

11%

15%


KEY DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDSAll of the below data points are among white collar workers only.

Women are more interested than men in working for a company that has a purpose beyond profit

Millennials are no more mission-oriented than older generations

Companies that stress hiring diverse staff can appeal to women, people of color

Millennials are more likely to want to work for a company creating global change

27% 47%of women say they would consider working for a company that didn’t have a clear purpose beyond turning a profit.

percent of men say the same.

44% of millennials say they would not consider working for a company if they didn’t agree with the mission.

43% of all white collar workers say the same.

29% 61%of white workers say they would be much more likely to work for a company that made an effort to hire a diverse staff.

of black workers, 38 percent of hispanics, and 37 percent of women say the same.

24% 18%of millennials would prefer working for a company that is committed to creating global change.

of all white collar workers say the same.



What workers want in their careers and how that overlaps with your mission

CAREER MOTIVATIONS

WHAT MOTIVATES AMERICANS IN THEIR CAREERS?

C A R E E R M O T I V A T I O N S

A large majority of Americans want work that is meaningful, but not at the expense of making money

Less than 10% say doing something that benefits society is their foremost career goal

Work/life balance is very important for more than three quarters of workers

Which of the following best describes you, even if none are exactly correct?

Which of these factors is most important when thinking about your career?

Below are the percentage of workers who say each of the following is very important when thinking about their careers:

My primary career goal is to make money


I want to make good money in my career, but it’s also important that I find my work meaningful

Making money is nice, but my primary career goal is doing something meaninful


Having work/life balance

Being interested in the work

Making money

Doing something that benefits society

Blue collar workers

19% 15%

23% 17%

62%


Blue collar workers

28%

33%

9%

8%

22%

21%

40%

38%

4%

53% 8%

Making money Doing something that benefits society

Having a good work/life balance

Being interested in the work


80%

75%

68%

44%

78%

72%

70%

43%


WHICH INDUSTRIES EMPLOYEES ARE INTERESTED IN

C A R E E R M O T I V A T I O N S

Entertainment is the most widely attractive industry to work in for Americans

Assuming the position and compensation was a good fit for you, would you consider a job in the following industries?


Entertainment/arts

Hospitality/travel

Education services

Health Care/Medical

Information

Tech

Government

Media

Management consulting

Finance/Banking

Real Estate

Renewable Energy

Law

Telecoms

Retail

Manufacturing

Utilities

Insurance

Food/grocery

Oil and Gas

Agriculture

64%

63%

62%

62%

61%

60%

57%

57%

56%

55%

54%

51%

50%

50%

45%

43%

43%

42%

41%

36%

36%

61%

60%

51%

53%

52%

54%

47%

50%

41%

44%

48%

48%

42%

43%

52%

50%

48%

32%

54%

38%

42%


WHERE AMERICANS WANT TO WORKC A R E E R M O T I V A T I O N S

White collar workers less interested in working for an early stage startup

How interested are you in working for each of the following?


Most Americans want to grow within their company, rather than bounce around

Which of the following best describes you, even if none are exactly correct?

Very interested

In my career I would ideally like to find a job that I could stay at for a long time, growing within the company

In my career I would ideally like to move between at least a few jobs, and experience different opportunities


Not too interestedSomewhat interested Not interested at allDon’t know/No opinion

33%

33%

33%

29%

21%

48%

44%

36%

54%

37%

9%

13%

17%

8%

23%

6%

5%

11%

14%

5%

6%

A startup that has already had some success

A small business

A large corporation

A medium size business

An early stage startup


Blue collar workers

9%

19%

21%70%

15%66%


KEY DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDSC A R E E R M O T I V A T I O N S

All of the below data points are among white collar workers only.

Work/life balance is particularly important to women

Black Americans are more interested in doing work that benefits society

Women are less interested in working in the tech industry

Men are more interested in working for a large corporation

44% 35%of women say having a good work/life balance is the most important factor when thinking about their career.

of men say the same.

61% of black workers say that, when thinking about their career, it is very important they do something that benefits society.

42% of whites, and 54 percent of hispanics say the same.

74% 50%of men say they would consider a job in the tech industry, assuming the position and compensation was the right fit.

of women say the same.

27% 40%of women say they’re very interested in working for a large corporation.

of men say the same.


In robust job market, gig workers’ satisfaction on par with wider workforceAs the explosion in the use of the internet and mobile devices has fueled the growth of freelance, contracting and piece work, worries about the so-called gig economy have risen in tandem. But a new Morning Consult survey shows that adults who identify as being a gig economy worker report being just as satisfied with their jobs, financial situations and family life as the average adult who has been employed in the past six months. Read the full report.

When choosing a job or project, gig workers report valuing the same qualities as all workers

Gig workers and workers overall seem to have similar satisfaction with their jobs

Importance of the following when choosing a job:

Satisfaction with each of the following aspects of your job:

All workforce

All workforce

Gig workforce

Gig workforce

Have a high-paying job

Having flexibility to balance work and family needs

Having opportunities for promotion or advancement

Having a positive opinion of the workplace culture

Making a meaningful contribution to society

Having good benefits

Having a job that others respect and value

Being in a workplace that is welcoming to people like me

95%

94%

93%

91%

90%

89%

88%

85%

95%

92%

93%

93%

88%

87%

88%

85%

S I D E B A R

Pay

Benefits

Opportunities for advancement

Ability to improve your skills and education at work

Relationship with your co-workers

Required hours

Mission, purpose and values of your employerAmount of paid vacation

and sick leaveBalance between work and your

personal life or family obligations

68%

67%

63%

73%

78%

84%

79%

68%

74%

69%

64%

66%

75%

75%

81%

78%

63%

79%

https://morningconsult.com/2018/09/18/in-robust-job-market-gig-workers-satisfaction-par-wider-workforce/


What issues your brand should speak out on (if at all) to retain and attract employees

POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT


SHOULD YOUR BRAND GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS?

P O L I T I C A L I N V O LV E M E N T

Just 15% of workers would prefer working for company that takes strong political stances

Nearly half say it’s important to agree with their company’s political positions

Around a quarter of workers say they would not consider working for a company that had taken political positions they disagree with

Would you want to work for a company that took strong political positions you agree with?

How important is it that you agree with your company’s political positions?

Would you consider working at a company if you didn’t agree with political positions they had taken in the past?

Yes, I would like to work for a company that takes strong political stances

I would prefer working for a company that wasn’t politcal

I would be comfortable working for a company that took strong stands, but it’s not particularly important to me


15%

15%

15%

15%

44%

43%

28%

28%

36%

34%

33% 10%

34% 12%

25%

36%

13%

18%

35%

33%

14%

18%

31%

36%



Blue collar workers

Blue collar workers


Blue collar workers

Very important Not very importantSomewhat important Not at all importantDon’t know/No opinion





WHAT ISSUES SHOULD YOU SPEAK OUT ON?

P O L I T I C A L I N V O LV E M E N T

The most and least controversial political issues for potential employees Respondents were asked: If a company did the following, would it make you more or less likely to want to work for them? Below numbers reflect the percentage of people who answered more likely minus those who said less likely.


Advocated for civil rights

Advocated for Affirmative Action

Supported the campaign of a Democratic lawmaker

Advocated for the rights of racial minorities in America

Advocated for stricter gun control

Advocated for the right of protestors to kneel during the national anthem

Advocated for stricter policies preventing abortion

Advocated for reforming the criminal justice system

Advocated for the rights of transgender people

Supported the campaign of a Democratic lawmaker

Advocated for gay rights

Advocated for stricter immigration policy

Issued a negative statement about President Trump

Issued a positive statement about President Trump

56%

49%

43%

27%

27%

20%

8%

7%

4%

-2%

-3%

-10%

-11%

18%

49%

44%

38%

21%

20%

14%

14%

5%

-6%

-8%

-2%

-5%

-4%

3%


KEY DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDSP O L I T I C A L I N V O LV E M E N T

All of the below data points are among white collar workers only.

Black workers are more likely than white workers to want to work for a company that takes strong political stands

Men are more likely than women to care about agreeing with their company’s political positions

Millennials are more likely to support anthem-kneeling

Issuing a positive statement about Trump will alienate more women

22% 14%of black workers say they would like to work for a company that takes strong political stands.

of white workers say the same.

54% of men say it’s important that they agree with the political positions of the company they work for.

44% of women say the same.

40% 34%of millennials say they would be more likely to want to work for a company that advocated for the rights of protestors to kneel, while 24 percent say they would be less likely.

of all white collar workers say more likely and 30 percent say less.

19% 35%of women say they’re more likely to want to work for a company that issued a positive statement about Trump, while 37 percent say they would be less likely.

of men say they’re more likely and 35 percent say less likely.


Extensive brand tracking data reveals the companies Americans most want to work for

THE MOST ADMIRED EMPLOYERS


C O M PA N Y Percent of all U.S. adults who would be proud to to work for

1 AMAZON 60%

1 GOOGLE 60%

3 MICROSOFT 59%

4 WALT DISNEY 58%

5 HERSHEY 57%

5 NETFLIX 57%

5 UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE 57%

8 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS 56%

9 FEDEX 55%

9 SONY 55%

9 UPS 55%

9 YOUTUBE 55%

13 COCA-COLA 54%

13 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS 54%

15 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 53%

THE MOST ADMIRED EMPLOYERS OVERALL

M O S T A D M I R E D E M P L O Y E R S

These are the brands that the highest percentage of American adults say they would be proud to work for.

Morning Consult Brand Intelligence surveys U.S. adults on over 2,000 brands on a daily basis, asking among other questions: “Thinking about your current or most recent job, would you be proud to have a similar job at the following company.” Between June 17 and September 17, 2018 Intelligence surveyed between 4,000 and 47,000 U.S. adults per brand on this question (with an average of over 17,000 interviews per brand).

Where does this data come from?


C O M PA N Y Percent of college graduates who would be proud to to work for

1 MICROSOFT 66%

2 AMAZON 65%

3 GOOGLE 64%

4 WALT DISNEY 62%

5 APPLE 61%

6 NATIONAL GEOGRPAHIC 60%

6 NETFLIX 60%

6 SONY 60%

9 HERSHEY 59%

9 PIXAR 59%

THE MOST ADMIRED EMPLOYERS AMONG COLLEGE GRADUATES


These are the brands that the highest percentage of college graduates say they would be proud to work for.

These are the brands that college graduates are most likely to say they would be proud to work for, relative to the general population.

Standout Brands Among College Graduates

C O M PA N Y Percent of college graduates who would be proud to to work for

Percent of all adults who would be proud to to work for

FIDELITY INVESTMENTS 45% 31%

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY 34% 21%

LOCKHEED MARTIN 42% 29%

VANGUARD 37% 24%

BBC 47% 34%


C O M PA N Y Percent of millennials who would be proud to to work for

1 GOOGLE 65%

2 NETFLIX 64%

3 MICROSOFT 63%

3 YOUTUBE 63%

5 AMAZON 62%

6 NINTENDO 61%

7 WALT DISNEY 59%

8 ANDROID 58%

8 PIXAR 58%

10 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS 57%

THE MOST ADMIRED EMPLOYERS AMONG MILLENNIALS


C O M PA N Y Percent of millennials who would be proud to to work for

Percent of all adults who would be proud to to work for

ROCKSTAR GAMES 35% 21%

ADULT SWIM 39% 26%

NINTENDO 61% 50%

SPOTIFY 48% 37%

BEATS BY DRE 40% 30%

These are the brands that the highest percentage of millennials say they would be proud to work for.

These are the brands that millennials are most likely to say they would be proud to work for, relative to the general population.

Standout Brands Among Millennials


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METHODOLOGY

CONTACT

This poll was conducted from September 05-09, 2018, among a national sample of 6,607 adults. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of Adults based on age, race/ethnicity, gender, educational attainment, and region. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 1 percentage points.

For most admired employers section: Morning Consult Brand Intelligence surveys U.S. adults on over 2,000 brands on a daily basis, asking among other questions: “Thinking about your current or most recent job, would you be proud to have a similar job at the following company.” Between June 17 and September 17, 2018 Intelligence surveyed between 4,000 and 47,000 U.S. adults per brand on this question (with an average of over 17,000 interviews per brand).

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