One in four people say they are more inclined to apply for jobs with firms that have a strong track record of supporting charities, new research commissioned by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) shows. According to recruitment firms, today is ‘Massive Monday’ and will see the number of new job applications peak as people begin the hunt for a new career in 2017.

 Polling carried out by YouGov on behalf of CAF suggests that companies which actively support charities are likely to be at an advantage when it comes to recruitment. It found that many people believe that charitable companies make better employers, and that supporting good causes helps to boost morale among existing staff.

The online poll of 1,041 people carried out between 16th and 22nd December found that:

  • Just over one in four people (26%) agreed that, when applying for a new job, they would be more inclined to work for an employer with a good track record supporting charities and good causes.
  • Women (30%) and people at the start of their career, aged 16 – 24, (47%) were most likely to be influenced by a potential employers’ charitable activity
  • Two in five (39%) people agree that businesses and organisations that support good causes make for better employers
  • Almost half (45%) of people said that supporting charities and good causes helps to improve morale in the workplace

Giving staff time off to volunteer proved a popular way for firms to help support good causes, with almost half of people surveyed (45%) agreeing that it was something employers should offer. In 2015 the Conservative Party’s General Election manifesto pledged to introduce three days paid volunteering leave.

CAF helps people and businesses give to causes they care about, providing services such as the payroll giving scheme Give As You Earn. It works with more than 2,500 UK companies on their charitable giving including the majority of the FTSE 100.

Susan Pinkney, Head of Research at CAF, said: “There are many good reasons for companies to be active and vocal in their support of good causes – not least the valuable contribution they can make to tackling social issues and making the world a better place.

 “In the competitive world of recruitment, it can also give firms a real advantage in attracting new talent while retaining existing staff.

 “We know that there is huge appetite among businesses to work with charities. But the public often significantly underestimates the commitment of companies to charitable giving and good causes. It is in companies’ interests to work even harder to be transparent, and regularly report on how they are going about fulfilling their charitable commitments.”