Working for ethical companies is good for your health

Working for ethical companies, as an employee or a freelancer, has numerous intangible benefits.

There's a huge feel-good factor which comes from working on projects which you know make a positive difference to the world, and this should not be underestimated. Whether you're working on a permaculture project growing organic food or publishing news on social media about an ethical project, working on something you believe in is inherently good for the soul.

The current surge of interest in values-based employment has been carefully documented by Global Tolerance in their report entitled "The Values Revolution". In it they comment:

For millennials, the Values Revolution in relation to careers is even more apparent, with a vast 62% of millennial talent wanting to work for a company that makes a positive impact. Exactly half of millennials prefer purposeful work to a high salary. And 53% would work harder if they were making a difference to others.

Not only do we feel better working on things we believe in but we also work harder if we know we are helping others. These results match the finding from our "Good job survey" in which over 25% of respondents specifically mentioned wanting to support other people.

But a good job is not just about helping others. By choosing to work for a values led organisation you will also be helping improve the state of the world and helping yourself at the same time.

Our experience shows that ethical organisations often pay faster, are nicer to deal with and invariably produce healthier working relationships than their profit driven counterparts.

It's well-known that hard-nosed, profit-driven companies often make suppliers, including freelancers, wait up to 60 days for payment. As a small business or sole trader these delays can kill cash-flow, which often creates the biggest problem for small businesses.

By comparison, no ethical organisation we have ever worked for demands such harsh payment terms. Values-driven organisations are far more likely to treat you as a person, rather than a faceless supplier, and will often pay as soon as work has been completed.

Sure, they might not pay as much sometimes, but the added value you receive from knowing you're helping create a better world, and being treated like a friend rather than a number, more than make up for any financial difference.

Work is still the biggest cause of stress in people's lives but, working for a ethical organisations is rarely stressful and even if you do get stressed out by an ethical job it's never so bad. The benefits you receive from working on things which you know are helping to make the work a better place pays dividends for your peace-of-mind, to your conscience, and ultimately to your health.