What is meaningful work?
Meaningful work refers to tasks or roles that provide a sense of purpose, personal fulfillment and alignment with an individual’s values.
Its definition can vary from one person to another based on their values. For example, a person who values caring for others may find the duties of a Registered Nurse (RN) fulfilling, while someone passionate about helping children might prefer a teaching position.
Some characteristics can help employees find meaning in their work:
- Independence and autonomy: Taking charge of a task and making decisions freely typically helps employees feel like they’re doing meaningful work.
- Personal connection: Work is often more meaningful when it relates to issues the employee finds important.
- Variety: Jobs typically feel more meaningful when employees handle different tasks or want to take on additional duties for growth opportunities.
- Impact: Seeing how their work impacts others can make it more purposeful.
Importance of employees engaging in meaningful work
When employees have meaningful work, it’s often reflected in their performance, which can benefit your company. Some reasons to ensure your employees have meaningful work may include:
- Increased job satisfaction: When employees believe their work is meaningful, it can lead to greater job satisfaction. Happy employees typically have a positive outlook on work and create a more pleasant working environment.
- Employee motivation: Employees who see their work as meaningful are typically more motivated.
- Improved work outcomes: Meaningful work often encourages workers to put more care into their jobs because they understand how it impacts the organization and customers. This can result in higher-quality work, which helps you build a positive reputation and keep customers happy.
- Better wellbeing: Work that makes a difference provides a sense of accomplishment, which contributes to employee wellbeing. Positive wellbeing generally helps reduce stress levels and increase happiness.
- Employee retention: Employees may stay with your company longer if they feel their work is meaningful. Feeling successful and knowing they’re contributing to important goals can make your company an appealing place to work.
- Recruiting potential: Emphasizing how your business encourages meaningful work and a sense of community can attract potential candidates. Insights from current employees about their roles and satisfaction with their contributions can also motivate applicants to join your team.
How to provide meaningful work to your employees
Making work meaningful often happens with company-wide improvements and changes. Here are some ways you might help your team feel like their work has an impact.
1. Discover your baseline
Conducting a quick employee pulse survey or a detailed survey can help you assess the meaningfulness of work within your team. It gauges how connected employees feel to their roles and the organization’s achievements. Consider repeating these surveys regularly to help track improvements in job satisfaction.
2. Learn more about your team
Everyone defines meaningful work differently. By understanding employees’ values, you can make small changes to improve their experience. You may also discover hidden talents, passions or values that align with a new project, helping you identify potential employees for internal promotions.
Regular one-on-one meetings let you check in on goals, learn what motivates your team and identify potential concerns. Ask individuals how much purpose they feel in their work and what matters to them professionally and personally.
3. Ensure the work reflects your company values
Review your mission, vision and value statements to remind yourself of the foundational details guiding your company. Evaluate the team’s work to ensure it reflects your organization. Job seekers often gravitate toward companies that share similar values.
It’s also helpful to vocalize your values and goals. Integrating these ideas into your company culture can help them see the impact of their work. Showing employees how your company is upholding its mission statement through updates, company intranet or social media is a good way to communicate to employees and potential candidates what your business values are.
4. Offer opportunities for reflection
It’s easy for employees to fall into a routine if their job duties are similar each day. They may not recognize how their work impacts their teammates or the company as a whole. Regular self-reflection can encourage employees to consider the impacts of their contributions and performance.
Modeling reflection can also encourage your team. During your next meeting, consider reviewing the team’s achievements over the last quarter. This reflective practice can help remind employees of their accomplishments.
Read more: Self-Evaluation Examples and Tips
5. Increase autonomy
Worker autonomy can help team members feel like they’re making an impact. Employee surveys may help you identify whether or not your staff feels they can make decisions independently.
6. Recognize accomplishments
Showing appreciation for your employees helps them feel valued. You can show appreciation through formal programs and informal comments when you notice an individual accomplishing something important.
Frequently asked questions about the meaningfulness of work
How often should you check in with employees to make sure they feel their work is meaningful?
Checking in with your team weekly or biweekly can give you an idea of how meaningful the work is to them. However, the frequency depends largely on your organization and the situation. If your employees feel their work is meaningful, you may check in less frequently.
How can you help employees who struggle to find meaning in their work?
Working one-on-one with employees might uncover tasks that align better with their values and ways to incorporate them into their duties. Additionally, clearly explaining how their current duties contribute to the organization can help them recognize the impact of their work.
