Our society conceives work as something we need to do so that we can achieve what we want to do. This perception of work defines how we approach work in our daily life. It also defines our attitude towards work and how interested we are in our job as individuals, working together in a team to achieve corporate goals.
When employees are recognised for their intrinsic value, they feel happier and healthier and would be willing to contribute more to the development of the company. Today, amidst various health, social and economic crises, it becomes important to find the answer to the basic question – Why do we work?
The answer to this is deeply seated in our culture. Work has traditionally been considered a chore. This directly impacts how societies think and feel about work even today. Even today, work is considered a means to earn money, pay our bills, and retire. The consequences can be terrible. It has a direct impact on how much energy they put into the work. Employees do not work up to their full potential and do just enough to meet the minimum requirements. This is a huge untapped potential that is lost and a terrible unfulfilled economic potential.
On the other hand, employees who find purpose in their work and more engaged and happier in their work and this directly affects the bottom line for the company. This requires a different perspective about work. Instead of treating work as a chore, consider it as an essential element, a way to find fulfilment in life.
Find your purpose
Believe that work can be meaningful. As a leader, you must be clear on the purpose of doing certain work. Invest time and focus on identifying your purpose. Start with identifying what gives you joy and energy.
Encourage employees to find their purpose.
Encourage everyone to reflect and understand what drives them. Let them share it with the employees around them, their team etc.,
leaders, in turn, should understand what drives the employees. Where possible, identify a common theme or factor that motivates employees. Reinforce that when assigning or defining what is expected from the employees. These factors can, in fact, be made part of the corporate purpose.
Connect personal and company purpose.
This is perhaps the most important aspect of driving employees to give their best. Help employees at all levels to understand what motivates them in their work and connect it to the corporate purpose. When employees understand this relationship, it gives everyone the extra impetus and combined with their skills can drive a much superior performance from the employee. They will feel personally invested in the company purpose.
The company’s purpose is crucial to make the employee understand why they are doing what they are doing. Without connecting the employee’s purpose with the company purpose this becomes meaningless, a company with no soul. Articulating the connection between the personal motivation factor and the company’s purpose has to be done by the top leadership team. This is one of the most crucial roles of the team leader.
How to Reframe What Work Means to You
by Hubert Joly HBR 2021/10
R2G 