Impact Jobs.

The latest research to come from "What workers want in 2012", surveying students and prospective employees looking to enter the work force along with employed Gen Y, Gen X and Boomers looked at aspects of life goals, job satisfaction and the need to make an impact. The need to make an impact for some was more important than having kids, more important than prestigious careers and for many, more important than wealth. Seems the lack of wealth required, came from the idealistic young, not yet cynical from years at the coal face, but others employed, indicated that making a difference and doing good would certainly allay their need to have continuous financial gains.

Students and prospective employees were willing to take pay cuts to work for organisations that fitted with their image of themselves and whose values were aligned with their own. Boomers, who long ago set the bench mark for caring in the 60s, were the biggest demographic willing to volunteer outside of work and willing to boycott products or companies they did not agree with environmentally or who they thought lacked social responsibility. They were also the leaders when it came to wanting the right work life balance to achieve maximum social and environmental impact within their work environment.

As usual, women, no matter the demographic, cared more than men and 30% indicated they would take pay cuts to make a difference in their jobs. Men being the capitalistic pigs they are, were in the minority when taking pay cuts to make a difference, with only 19% indicating they would make that choice. For men, working at Playboy, was not one of the options but it would have increased the desire to make an impact and perhaps shown them in a better light statistically?

In the end, statistics can be read many ways but what can't be denied is the overall feeling, especially from prospective employees, the desire to make the world a better place to work in and live in. In hindsight, it sounds a lot like a bunch of 60s kids rallying against the war, standing up for civil rights, figuring out what being green was all about and generally wanting a better planet. The causes may not always be as obvious or pointed today, but people in general want to care more, know more and make a difference in their work environment. After all, what legacy do you want to be remembered for, getting the invoices in on time or making your work place better for others.

Socially and environmentally responsible companies will be the winners as they attract the brightest, the motivated and the compassionate. The 2012 Ethisphere Institute list of the world's most ethical companies, based on ethics and compliance programs, reputation, leadership and innovation, governance, corporate citizenship and responsibility will be the ones attracting the above future and current employees. Not all companies on that list are just about saving the planet, as global entities, Gap, Microsoft, Ford, eBay, Target , Cisco and UPS show you can be "a player" and still make a difference.