Benefits of feeling passion for your job

On paper, it may seem like it doesn’t matter if your employees feel passionate about work as long as they’re getting the job done. However, in practice, passion can have serious benefits, both for your employees and your business.

• Positivity: Passion creates a feeling of positivity — when your employees love what they do, they’ll naturally feel more positive about coming to work each day. This sunny attitude tends to create a ripple effect that spreads to colleagues, clients and the company culture .
• Motivation: When your team members are passionate about work, they’re likely to feel more motivated to innovate and go the extra mile. As a result, the business benefits from increased productivity, faster growth and higher revenue.
• Growth mindset: Passionate people are enthusiastic about learning new skills and perspectives. When your team has the energy for growth and development, it can help you build a more powerful and capable workforce.
• Stress management: Happiness at work makes it easier for your employees to deal with job-related stress. This can lead to fewer employees calling out, a reduced likelihood of burnout and a lower employee turnover.
• Commitment: Passion often comes with a high level of commitment; employees who feel strongly about their role are usually more invested in its success.

Ways to cultivate a passion for work among employees

Passion for work doesn’t mean your employees will love every aspect of every day. They simply need to find enough meaning and joy in the process to carry them through the tougher times. As an employer, you can cultivate existing passions and help workers find new topics to spark their enthusiasm.

1. Set a mission and vision employees can get behind

Your employees spend at least 40 hours a week working for your company’s success. If they feel aligned with your vision and mission statement, those hours will likely feel well-spent. It’s all about purpose — when employees are putting their energy toward an end goal they believe in, it’s easier to feel passionate about work.

For example, take the brand Cotopaxi. It produces high-end outdoor gear using carbon-neutral, ethically sustainable methods and materials. In addition, the company donates 1% of its revenue to a charitable foundation that grants money to humanitarian efforts in the Americas. That means that employees, whether they’re working on the production line or in the office, can feel good about putting their time and energy into the business.

Your company doesn’t have to make a massive shift to help employees find purpose. Some smaller-scale ways to make a difference include:

• Create a fund that lets employees donate to their favorite local organizations
• Establish a company-wide volunteering day
• Make your products or operations more environmentally friendly
• Donate to community disaster relief or humanitarian crisis efforts
• Offer reduced rates to nonprofits or charitable organizations

2. Help employees see how their contributions matter

In addition to a larger sense of purpose, employees need to feel purpose within the company. Passionate professionals are confident that their work has value and meaning. This is particularly important for people in roles who often feel disconnected from the company vision, such as the janitorial staff or front receptionists.

You can help your employees feel valued by assisting them to see how their work impacts the company. Be as specific as possible. Instead of simply thanking your receptionist for their work, note how their efficient processing keeps clients happy and makes your job easier.

When employees understand how they make a difference, they can take pride in their work and find passion for the job.

3. Create opportunities for relationship-building

Positive relationships make work more fun; if your employees have friends in the office, they’re more likely to look forward to coming in each day. When things are tough or when your team is dealing with mundane tasks, these powerful connections can help everyone maintain a good attitude.

As the employer, you can facilitate friendship-building by creating opportunities for your team to get to know each other on a personal level, such as:

• Hosting relaxed team lunches or potlucks
• Embracing casual conversation
• Planning team-building activities
• Encouraging employees to decorate their workspaces
• Mixing up project teams or partnerships

It’s also important to model friendly behavior. Get to know your employees personally, so you can make connections between team members. Try a statement such as, “Oh, you’re training for a marathon? Steve is a runner, too.” It’s an easy way to spark friendships while staying professional.

4. Give employees autonomy

Autonomy, or the ability to self-govern, is an essential part of finding passion in a job. By setting your employees free to use their skills and expertise in the way that works best for them, you demonstrate both respect and trust. Without restrictions, your team is more likely to be productive and happy in their jobs.

That doesn’t mean you can’t set limits; the trick is to establish boundaries, provide resources and back off. The same goes for your managers. If you see that their involvement is stifling creativity or productivity, take steps to prevent micromanagement.

5. Match employee interests to job duties

Employees don’t always know what type of work will make them feel passionate. As an outside observer, you may be in a good place to help.

Take note of each employee‘s strengths and personality traits — then assign them tasks that benefit from those characteristics. For example, if you notice that an employee is exceptionally organized and lights up when interacting with colleagues, you might direct them toward project management. When people work with their strengths, they tend to be happier and more fulfilled.

It’s also helpful to find connections between company objectives and your employees’ existing passions and interests. If you have an employee committed to environmental activism, you might ask them to weigh in on the company’s sustainability initiatives.

6. Offer recognition for great work

Even the most passionate employees want to feel recognized for their efforts. When you and your managers affirm employees’ values and contributions, it helps them maintain motivation and joy.

That might seem obvious, but most businesses aren’t putting in enough effort; research shows that recognition is not a key priority for 81% of company leaders.

Employee recognition works best when it’s authentic, specific and offered frequently. Your managers can help by regularly thanking team members for ideas, efforts and accomplishments. You might also create a formal program to recognize work milestones and life events.

7. Provide opportunities for growth and development

When you’re passionate about something, you take every opportunity to learn more about the subject. It’s the same at work — training, education and professional development can fuel your employees’ passions. In some cases, these opportunities can help workers find new skills and topics to be passionate about.

For best results, consider offering unfettered access to the company’s professional development resources. It’s also helpful to lift limitations wherever possible; that way, employees are free to pursue their curiosity and discover new interests.

Signs that your employees need help feeling passionate about work

Passion ebbs and flows as employees’ interests and careers change. If you’re vigilant, you can spot the signs of waning passion and take action to help.

• Low productivity: An unexpected dip in productivity can indicate that your employees are feeling disconnected from their jobs. When that’s the case, you can help workers rediscover their passion or find new skills and tasks to love.
• Lack of curiosity: Passion fuels curiosity; when it’s not there, you might find that employees don’t ask questions or go beyond surface-level discussions. They may also seem disconnected or bored.
• Limited employee interaction: Have your employees stopped collaborating or chatting casually about work? Have they started working independently? In some cases, this may be because a lack of passion is sapping their energy and enthusiasm.
• Chafing at ordinary tasks: When an employee’s passion starts to fade, ordinary responsibilities can feel frustrating or difficult. You might notice them complaining about getting behind or doing the same thing — a sure sign that it’s time to shake things up.
• Drop in ambition: Passionate workers are often excited about moving up in the company. Without passion, they might start to miss deadlines or stop talking about their dream promotion.

If you see any of these signs, don’t panic; it simply means that your employees need help finding things to feel passionate about at work. By getting your managers involved in the effort, you can reassign tasks, offer training and reinvigorate employees’ enthusiasm.