The staff wellbeing pendulum in sustainability and how it affects recruitment.

Another sign that we are through the worst of 2025 is that we are starting to get pushback from people on flexibility around remote working. 
 
Since 2022, many industries have been in cost reduction mode. There has been less hiring in sustainability, and so less poaching of talent and resignations. 
 
Because their staff aren’t leaving and joining competitors, companies have become complacent, and have stopped their wellbeing programmes, and they have dragged people back to the office. 
 
There is no other option for the staff, there are no other jobs to go to, so they suck it up. We speak with people daily who are asking for a move, but we are telling them that there are not many senior jobs in sustainability right now. We are in a classic supply and demand situation, where there are more candidates than jobs. 

But. 
 
We are starting to see a change in the mood music. People are digging their heels in and saying no to things that don't offer them the flexibility or trust that they feel they have earned. Is this because there are more jobs? We don’t think so. Our perspective is that the fear and uncertainty that peaked somewhere between Q1 and Q2 and as things loosen up there is more positivity internally at companies, as they look forward to growing and launching new products and strategies. While this may not be imminent it is better than it was. 

Or, maybe there is just only so long that people will put up with things! 

While this isn’t an economic lever, mood and sentiment is very easy for us to perceive, and when you look back you can often pinpoint when things started to change. We’re hoping this is one of those moments. 
 
Our prediction is that as we move into a new economic cycle, firms will be falling over themselves to increase their perks and show how much they value their staff.