The Power
of Purpose

There’s been a shift in recent years of businesses adopting a more purpose-driven approach. And the results are clear; it boosts productivity, employee wellbeing and even your bottom line.

Research has shown that when people perceive their work as significant, their brains produce oxytocin and dopamine — the hormones connected to motivation and trust. Purpose-driven teams experience a biological reaction that leads to greater satisfaction and resilience. [1]

The benefits are far reaching, so it’s not surprising that this mode of thinking is gaining more and more traction. As a business leader it’s worth considering how a purpose-driven approach could help your team and your business.

What do we mean by purpose, or meaning, in relation to the workplace?

In its most basic definition, purposeful work is described as ‘each employee must be able to identify some personally meaningful contribution made by their effort’.[2] This is subjective and depends on how individuals relate that meaning back to their own life and experiences, plus their idea of what ‘the greater good’ is.

As a leader you’d know of the research that asserts happier workers are more productive. Logically then, workers with a better sense of meaning would tend to be more beneficial to their employees. This isn’t hyperbole, it’s measurable. And has been thoroughly studied.

A Harvard Business Review article from 2023 determined that there are three core components of purpose:

Significance — the feeling that their work ‘matters’

Coherence — the purpose aligns with their personal values

Impact — observable results of their efforts

A further study in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that employees who had a higher sense of purpose were 30% less likely to experience anxiety and depression at work (compared to those who had low purpose).[1]

Companies with purpose-driven cultures perform significantly better in profitability and employee retention. Their purpose also contributes to a greater job satisfaction and a higher willingness to innovate.

With these and many other advantages it’s easy to see why so many businesses are keen to foster a purpose-driven culture, as a proven path to increased productivity.

But it’s not just businesses. The desire for more purpose is growing in employees too.

Gen Z workers, in particular, rate purpose as a major factor in their job satisfaction, with 65% saying they prioritise meaningful work over salary.[2]

1] Engagement With Meaning: How Purpose-Driven Work Is Created
[2] (PDF) Creating Meaning and Purpose at Work
[3] The Science of Purpose in Work: Performance and Health Insights
[4] 2024 Voices of Gen Z Study – Next Gen Insights
[5]  Engagement With Meaning: How Purpose-Driven Work Is Created
[6] 5 Ways To Help Employees Find Purpose: Why It Matters More Than Perks

Making it meaningful

So, if the benefits are clear, how do we go about creating a purpose-driven culture?

There are numerous resources online for more in-depth information, but here are a few points to consider adapting in your workplace.

Show the bigger picture

It helps employees to find a greater sense of purpose if they understand how their work contributes to your company’s bigger picture. Connecting their daily tasks to a larger mission makes it easier for them to see why they’re making a difference. Explaining the ‘why’ elevates their tasks beyond their personal experience.

Celebrate the wins

It doesn’t have to be a major success, any work that was completed and helped the company (or your clients) no matter how moderate, is worth sharing and praising. The more you do it, the better the effect.

Give your people a voice

Purpose should be a dialogue. The people you work with will have ideas on how to improve or innovate their work. You can hold workshops and formalise the process, so they understand they’re empowered to be part of the mission.

Match their values

Taking the dialogue idea further, you can work with your people to better understand what they’re passionate about and find ways to align their values to those of your business. [1]

Encourage curiosity

Curiosity can be the key to discovering purpose. If you build a culture where your employees feel comfortable asking questions and proposing new ideas, they can explore different aspects of their role to find their own purpose drivers.

The positivity of purpose

Meaningful work has benefits to employees beyond the workplace too. It’s tied to better wellbeing and meaning in life, improved social participation, increased happiness and engagement. So, the advantages spread from a personal level to their private life, then onto society at large. [2]

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