Most people leave (or considering leaving) their jobs because the job lacks purpose and meaning, according to Gallup’s State of the American Workplace.

With talent shortages already at record highs, you can’t afford to lose your top talent, but how much of a role can you play in helping others find meaning in their work? It turns out, quite a lot, and it’s worth your time.

If you have team members who find their work meaningful, they will be more productive and be far more likely to stay. Rather than trying to recruit “better employees,” here’s how to maximize the potential of your current staff:

Make the vision real

Vision and mission statements are fine, but often not very connected to people’s daily work. Help people translate the lofty words into something that makes sense in real life. This isn’t an exercise of dumbing it down, rather in helping people see context. Without context, work will be transactional and less meaningful.

Offer them customer interaction

Help people develop meaning by letting them interact with the people for whom they do the work. Invest in time for team members to get to know customers. Even if the actual work is three steps from the paying customer, when they have interacted with those who use the product or service, work is more real. Don’t forget internal customers too. As you break down silos and make the work about “Adam” and not just the “Accounting Department,” you create greater meaning too.

Make it a goal

Like anything else, when you set a goal and measure results you will be more likely to make progress. Tell the team you want them to find meaning in their work. Work with them to make that a reality.

Those are some practical ways to make meaningful work a reality in your workplace. For more insight, watch this video where I share some tips for influencing your people to care more about their work:

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Kevin Eikenberry is a recognized world expert on leadership development and learning and is the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. He has spent over 30 years helping organizations across North America, and leaders from around the world, on leadership, learning, teams and teamwork, communication and more.

Twice he has been named by Inc.com as one of the Top 100 Leadership and Management Experts in the World and 100 Great Leadership Speakers for Your Next Conference. The American Management Association named him a “Leaders to Watch” and he has been twice named as one of the World's Top 30 Leadership Professionals by Global Gurus. Top Sales World has named him a Top Sales & Marketing Influencer several times, and his blog has been named on many “best of” lists. LeadersHum has named him one of the 200 Biggest Voices in Leadership in 2023.

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