For the last 30 years, Americans have consistently ranked meaningful work as their top priority in a job, even above salary, job security, and work hours. But while meaningful work is crucial for employee engagement, performance, and retention, many struggle to find it.
This month, we focus on leaders as meaning makers, exploring why this is important and how leaders can create environments where meaning thrives within their teams and organisations.
The Importance of Meaning at Work
“We spend far too much time at work for it not to have deep meaning.” – Satya Nadella
The average person will spend 90,000 hours—roughly a third of their lifetime—at work. Given this, it’s critical for leaders to cultivate environments where work resonates with a sense of purpose.
But what exactly is meaningful work? It encompasses:
- Tasks that feel important and are aligned with a larger purpose.
- Harmony between professional responsibilities and personal values.
- A sense of making a positive impact, both within the organisation and beyond.
Why Meaning Matters for Leaders
Leaders should prioritise meaning because it directly affects the people they lead. When employees find their work meaningful:
- Their performance improves by 33%.
- They are 75% more committed to their organisation.
- They are 49% less likely to leave.
Despite these benefits, only 50% of employees currently find meaning in their work. To improve this, leaders need to address key obstacles to meaningful work.
Five Obstacles to Meaning at Work
- Lack of Clarity
Without a clear vision, employees may not understand how their work contributes to the larger organisational mission. - Inauthentic Leadership
If leaders don’t behave ethically or align their actions with the organisation’s values, trust erodes, making it hard for employees to connect with the company’s purpose. - Disrespectful Work Environment
Negative interactions or lack of respect among colleagues can undermine employees’ sense of worth and make it difficult to find meaning in their contributions. - Feeling of Insignificance
When employees don’t understand how their work matters or impacts others, their sense of purpose diminishes. - Exploitation of Passion
Overemphasising meaning can lead to burnout, especially if employees take on too much work without proper recognition or compensation.
Leaders as Meaning Makers
Leaders are more than just managers of tasks—they are creators of purpose. They tap into the emotional and psychological needs of their teams, aligning work with a larger sense of purpose. To become effective meaning-makers, leaders should reflect on seven key questions:
- Who am I?
Leaders must identify their strengths and use them to empower others, enhancing their own and their team’s sense of purpose. - Where am I going?
Aligning personal and team goals with strategic objectives brings deeper meaning to work. - Whom do I travel with?
Building strong, positive workplace relationships enhances job satisfaction and meaning. - How do I build a positive work environment?
Leaders must foster a culture of openness, respect, and accountability, embedding these values into daily work routines. - What challenges interest me?
Engaging with personally meaningful challenges helps leaders and teams maintain motivation without overwhelming stress. - How do I change, learn, and grow?
Leaders must cultivate resilience and a growth mindset, encouraging learning from both successes and failures. - What delights me?
Small moments of joy and appreciation can significantly improve workplace satisfaction and meaning.
The Role of Leaders in Creating Meaning
During times of change, shared meaning is crucial. Leaders play a key role in constructing and communicating a narrative that helps employees make sense of their experiences, which in turn aligns individual and collective goals.
Here are four ways leaders can create and communicate meaning:
- Defining Meaning: Leaders should clearly articulate the organisation’s core values and mission, helping employees understand how their work contributes to a greater purpose.
- Creating Emotional Connections: Through personal anecdotes and organisational stories, leaders can help employees see how their roles fit into the larger narrative.
- Fostering Discussion: Open conversations about the meaning of work allow employees to express their perspectives and explore how their roles hold personal significance.
- Recognising Impact: Celebrating individual and team achievements reinforces the value of their contributions, enhancing the overall sense of meaning.
CARMA Framework: Five Steps to Cultivating Meaning
The CARMA framework offers a practical guide for leaders:
- Clarity – Communicate a clear vision that connects the team’s work to the organisation’s broader purpose.
- Authenticity – Model ethical behaviour that aligns with the organisation’s values, building trust and preventing the exploitation of employees’ passion.
- Respect – Foster a positive culture where respect is a core value, ensuring employees feel valued.
- Mattering – Help employees see how their work contributes to the organisation’s success and impacts others.
- Autonomy – Give employees the freedom to decide how to achieve their goals, empowering them to pursue meaningful outcomes.
Factor10 Helps Leaders Become Meaning-Makers
At Factor10, we’ve re-imaged leadership this year. Get in touch with Kerrin to explore how to create meaning-makers within your organisation.
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