Finding meaning in your work isn’t simply a nice perk. People who do a job simply because it pays the bills are generally much more disengaged than people who actively connect with the work that they are doing and who take pride in the results. Work that has no meaning or purpose feels like a waste of one’s time, whereas work related to one’s passions becomes an exciting and invigorating challenge, which is better for both the employee and the employer.
While not everyone cares substantially about doing work that is meaningful, those who do care and who are able to find jobs that suit their personal interests and passions tend to be the people who rise through the ranks and help your company stand out from the crowd.
Employee Engagement Matters
In North America, only about 33% of employees consider themselves actively engaged by their work, according to Domo.com. Another 18% of employees are disengaged, meaning that they are a drain on the productivity of the people around them, likely to waste resources and potentially steal from your business, and very unlikely to stay on with your company for more than a year.
People who are actively engaged in their work, on the other hand, tend to be people with decision-making power within your business, people who have a firm understanding of their own strengths and long-term career goals, and people who have found a personal connection with the work being done at your organization.
Foster Opportunity by Allowing Employees to Grow
76% of employees want opportunities for career growth, and another 25% of employees say they would be more satisfied at their jobs if they had opportunities to do what they do best. These statistics help underscore the fact that finding your purpose for work is partially the responsibility of the employer. Yes, your employees need to be actively invested in their own careers and seek out positions that suit their passions, but as an employer you must also give them opportunities to bring their passions into the office and find positions that are suited to the personalities and values of the people you hire.
Using personal assessments, companies can find out just how passionate their employees are about the work they’re doing and look for ways to improve engagement by putting people in roles that they find personally meaningful. When employees take pride both in the work that they are doing and the company they are working for, productivity soars and turnover evaporates.
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