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Purpose consistently ranks in the top three factors of meaningful work. In the research conducted by Beaumont People, it stayed in the number three spot in both the 2019 and 2022 results.
Yet 88 per cent of employers are feeling the impact of the skills shortage, according to Hays. Companies need to strengthen their employee value proposition beyond purpose to help overcome this challenge as more and more businesses are catching up with the purpose advantage.
Bridging the strategy-people disconnect
If there is an element of your strategy you have been struggling to execute, you may have a strategy-people disconnect. That is, there may be a divide between your strategy on a page and your people’s needs, capabilities, and motivations. The cause of your business alone will not be enough to overcome this gap. It may be what attracted your people to your organisation, but now may be the time to consider how you bridge that disconnect.
It is built on the four factors of meaningful work. Purpose is but one of the subsets within these factors. When you and your people are engaged in meaningful work, there are significant benefits for individuals, such as increased job satisfaction, better career advancement, mitigated work-related stress, and a positive influence on overall wellbeing. There are also better outcomes for your organisation, including higher levels of commitment, lower rates of absenteeism, and reduced turnover. Even in the face of economic downturns or organisational resizing, the performance of organisations remains high, as a result of the dedication of their contented employees.
Uncovering the 4 factors
To bridge that strategy-people disconnect, you need to understand the four factors of meaningful work, the subsets within them, and the areas of meaningful work in which your organisation is performing well. Everyone’s path to meaningful work is unique, so if you can align your people’s meaningful work needs with those you provide, that will help build the bridge you need. The four factors are:
- Individual
At an individual level, the subsets of meaningful work are defined by your people’s interests, abilities, and personality traits. It also encompasses aspects of their character that can change over time – the things you may not have asked your staff about recently – motivations, goals, aspirations; along with personal narratives – the stories your team tell themselves about their work.
- Job
On the job front, meaningful work finds its cues in the type, quality, and quantity of tasks. Job design also plays a pivotal part, including how the role has been crafted or tailored by your organisation or you to create a sense of meaningfulness.
- Organisation
Organisational-level indicators of meaningful work consider your people’s interpretation of your organisation’s leadership alongside culture, policies, practices, and the social ecosystem within the workplace. These elements collectively contribute to shaping the meaningfulness of the job.
- Societal
Societal influences extend their impact into meaningful work, driven by economic and social factors. Access to decent work and alignment with cultural norms significantly contribute to your team’s ability to attain meaning through their work. This is more challenging for you, as a leader, to affect; however, being aware of it is part of the process.
Prioritise your people to progress your strategy
Often, people are attracted initially to an organisation because of its purpose or cause, but as demonstrated in the opening paragraph, this isn’t always enough to retain them in the face of talent shortages once the honeymoon period has worn off. Even if they are not looking to leave, they may not remain at their peak levels if they are not truly engaged in meaningful work. This may be the very reason you are struggling with executing an aspect of your strategy. As Harvard Business Review acknowledged, it is difficult to devise a smart strategy but 10 times harder to get people to execute that strategy. Considering how to bridge the strategy-people disconnect is a great place to start.
Nina Mapson Bone is a people strategist, consultant, and author of Meaningful Work: Unlock your unique path to career fulfilment.
Jack Campbell
Jack is the editor at HR Leader.
