(1 minute read)
During a recent podcast from the team at Workleap, PhD researcher on the psychology of work, Mike Ross was quizzed on ‘the meaning of work’.
From the outset, Ross decided to unpack the difference between finding meaning in work and at work.
Meaning in work is about the task: Growth, Mastery, Feeling like your role matters.
Meaning at work is about the environment: Connection, Purpose, Feeling like you belong.
It’s important to realise that both matter, and both are needed to drive true engagement.
So, whose responsibility is it to create meaning?
While leaders, managers, and employers can’t create purpose, they can create the conditions where it’s easier to develop and nurture. This includes:
- Provide Development Opportunities: Give employees room to develop toward mastery, take on new challenges, and to grow in their roles. Put simply, learning fuels meaning.
- Create Moments of Shared Purpose: Connect the work of individual employees to something much bigger (e.g., company mission, or a key, short-term project).
- Foster Rituals that Reinforce Action: Reinforce what matters through small, but consistent actions that build culture. These rituals don’t need a budget, they require intention!
To further connect employees with the organisation and its goals and/or mission, consider how to flatten any exiting hierarchy and actively seek opportunities for collective challenges.