Today, employees want more than a paycheck and health insurance. They want career purpose and employee well being worked into their benefits package.
Connecting employees to their job-related higher purpose helps them—and business—thrive. Knowing how they contribute to the greater good creates a better work experience and sense of well being.
Why career purpose is good for business
According to the 2013 Deloitte Core Beliefs & Culture survey, 91 percent of respondents said their company had a strong sense of purpose and a history of strong financial performance.[mfn referencenumber=1]Deloitte. (2013). 2013 Deloitte Beliefs & Culture Survey. Retrieved January 31, 2019, from Deloitte website: www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/about-deloitte/us-leadership-2013-core-beliefs-culture-survey-051613.pdf.[/mfn]
Conversely, 66 percent of respondents who said their company didn’t have a strong sense of purpose felt their company didn’t have history of strong financial performance.[mfn referencenumber=1]Deloitte. (2013). 2013 Deloitte Beliefs & Culture Survey. Retrieved January 31, 2019, from Deloitte website: www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/about-deloitte/us-leadership-2013-core-beliefs-culture-survey-051613.pdf.[/mfn]
How a sense of purpose impacts well being
Recent research solidifies the connection between a sense of purpose and health. According to a paper published by the Review of General Psychology, these elements are all part of the equation[mfn referencenumber=2] Andrews, Linda W. (2017, July 14). How a Sense of Purpose in Life Improves Your Health. Retrieved January 31, 2019, from Psychology Today website: www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/minding-the-body/201707/how-sense-purpose-in-life-improves-your-health.[/mfn]:
- Reduced stress: Those who know their purpose and can draw from what matters most in life may be better able to lower their stress level. Doing so can help them manage daily stressors like deadlines, meetings, and other workplace issues.
- Improved coping: Individuals who feel like their lives have meaning are better able to cope with challenges using mindfulness or other emotional awareness mechanisms. Being able to find peace in stressful situations can help employees focus on accomplishing tasks.
- Healthier lifestyle choices: People secure in the meaning of their life may be more likely to take better care of themselves. Some research has tied purpose to improved physical activity and other healthy behaviors such as greater use of preventive health services.
How to help employees find career purpose
Employers must first lay the groundwork by [mfn referencenumber=3] Kohll, Allan. (2018, July 10). What Employees Really Want at Work. Retrieved January 31, 2019, from Forbes website: www.forbes.com/sites/alankohll/2018/07/10/what-employees-really-want-at-work/#29b735e55ad3.[/mfn] :
- Creating a vision.
- Showing recognition.
- Expressing gratitude.
- Letting employees know how their job impacts the company and its clients.
- Frequently discussing the company’s meaning and value.
- Sharing customer success stories.
- Ditching tunnel vision and focusing on the bigger picture.
Key takeaway
Managers should help teams and individuals find their specific purpose. Having employees write purpose statements helps them define how they contribute to the company’s vision and mission.
Managers play a critical role in empowering employees to identify their job-related purpose. Career purpose and employee well being means more motivation, morale, job satisfaction—and productivity. [mfn referencenumber=3] Kohll, Allan. (2018, July 10). What Employees Really Want at Work. Retrieved January 31, 2019, from Forbes website: www.forbes.com/sites/alankohll/2018/07/10/what-employees-really-want-at-work/#29b735e55ad3.[/mfn]