It was more than 25 years ago that I committed to only working for purpose-driven organisations that are working to make the world a better place and I can honestly say, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Here are some of the benefits I have noticed since I’ve been working for purpose-driven organisations:
- Getting paid on time!
As a freelancer cash flow is critical but a lot of companies have 60, or sometimes 90 day payment terms, meaning you might not get paid until 3 months after you’ve delivered the work, which can make life very difficult. When I switched to working for purpose-driven organisations I found they would often pay my invoices straight away! Organisations with ethical values seem to understand that people deserve to be paid promptly for the work they’ve delivered, which is a real benefit that says a lot about respect. - Improved mental health.
Working for nothing other than a wage can be soul destroying. By contrast, working for purpose-driven organisations to help them achieve positive impact makes me proud of my work and has consistently provided me with additional value in the form of mental well-being. - Better relationships.
A lot of the conventional companies I worked for, where the primary motivation was profit, were only interested in one off, transactional relationships. But people at purpose-driven organisations seem to care about other people, and as such I’ve made a lot of friends at the purpose-driven organisations I have worked for. - More referrals.
With a larger network of friends, that know me as a person, rather than treating me as a resource, I find I get recommended a lot more. - A higher-quality network.
It’s possible to build a network within any niche, but the ethical sector contains some brilliant people, that seem to understand the value of long-term relationships, and are happy to help with introductions, connections, or on new projects, even decades after the first connection. Plus, people who work for ethical organisations tend to move on to other organisations with ethical values, which has added additional value to my network. - Greater positive impact.
I believe we all have a duty to leave the world in a slightly better state than we found it. Working for purpose-driven companies and charities has enabled me to contribute to positive change in ways, and as part of projects, that I would never have been able to achieve on my own. - Reduced carbon impact.
Most of the organisations that I have worked for have been focused on renewable energy, carbon reduction, or positive systems change. All of them have been making efforts to reduce carbon emissions and supported ways of working which have helped me do the same. - Inspiration.
There are some incredible, highly intelligent, and extremely passionate people working within ethical organisations and on positive change projects. It has been massively inspirational for me to meet, and work with, these people, and encouraged me to do more to make the world a better place. - More productive teamwork.
When you’re working with a shared purpose, and your values are aligned, teams become much more productive and effective. Since my values naturally align with the ethical organisations I work for, I have found it much easier to integrate myself within new teams, and that when everyone believes in the thing they are working on results come much more easily. - Symbiotic relationships.
Purpose driven organisations tends to want to support each other, rather than competing with each other. Plus, they often need similar things and can benefit from each other’s services, which has made it easier for me to recommend and promote old and existing clients to new clients, so everybody wins.
As Mark Twain said:
“Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
Since committing to working for purpose-driven organisations, and focusing on marketing good causes, my work has felt a lot less like work!
If you are fed up of working for corporations that don’t care about you, or the planet, I strongly encourage you to make a similar commitment, I doubt you will regret it. And if you’re considering starting a career in marketing, or want to upgrade your marketing skills, check out my Digital Marketing Essentials course, which several students have rated as the best digital marketing course in the UK!
