Yet, to be truly sustainable, assessors need electronic pads for recording at assessment centers, recruiters need quiet keyboards for interview or telephone reference checking note taking. Recruiters need large screens to enable onscreen reading of job applications, psychometric reports, and assessment matrixes. Employees need the facilities, technology, and support to enable at-home, telecommuting or remote work that is as fast and effective as office-based work.
The “technology solution” to sustainable recruitment also supposes that e-recruitment suits all organizations. The use of technology may be a hindrance to those organization’s with recruitment needs. Consider, for example, those new, innovative, or small organization’s for which e-literacy is not a priority. Consider those potential employees who may be precluded from an online recruitment process because of the nature of their work or other circumstances. A completely online solution is unworkable for many organizations and limiting for many others. Providing a range of application avenues will often be a premium solution.
There are other skills beyond those listed in this study that are needed in an organization. For example, the skills of sustainability assessment, accreditation and accounting are needed in the human resources team. We know, too, that the culture of an organization will be a major obstacle to implementing the activities listed here. The strength and power of the existing culture may preclude all but the smallest steps towards personal leadership in sustainable practices. There are many situations in which incremental change is better than no change at all, coupled with the hope that one day radical change will occur.
The potential human cost, however, of not implementing sustainable business practices is urgent.
Recruiters have a unique opportunity to convey the organization’s sustainability goals in person to a large audience of potential employees. Our in-person demonstration of the organization’s values is likely to reinforce new employees’ commitment to sustainability and will enhance the organization’s sustainability reputation in those who are not selected. Recruiters can set up a personal sustainability dialogue between the organization and each individual as they approach the organization.
We had addressed the recruitment and selection practices likely to lead our workspace as more sustainable organization and complement existing sustainability practices. We hope and expect that we will fill the gaps we have left in this first attempt. Future research could address the sustainable practices inherent not just in workforce planning and induction areas briefly touched in our company but extend the operationalization of sustainability practices into the areas of compensation and benefits, learning and development and performance management.