Help employees find their higher purpose: Sunny Grosso (Workplace Wellbeing Igniter & Culture Maven)

Listen to our recent episode with Workplace Wellbeing Igniter & Culture Maven, Sunny Grosso.

We talked about the current state of happiness at work, why wellbeing starts with your leadership team, transcendence and its role in the workplace, and helping employees find their higher purpose.

Read the highlights below. ??

Globally, Sunny that says 25% of people are considered to be thriving in their personal lives, 24% are thriving or engaged in their work lives, and only 9% are happy in both life and work.

We still need to do more research to better understand the small group of people thriving in both areas. However, what we do know is that work satisfaction is the strongest determinant of overall happiness. Career wellbeing has a 200% impact on your overall wellbeing and health.

So, as a company, how can you help increase the number of people who are thriving in all aspects of life? Sunny suggests that it starts at the top.

1. Workplace wellbeing starts with your leadership team ??

To consider who creates wellbeing at work, Sunny says to imagine concentric circles, like a target.

The center circle is the individual – you and me. It starts with the individual's experience, often led by leadership. Leaders must first connect to their own purpose. They need to understand how this purpose drives their motivation, passion, and business growth. They should also be aware of the organization's higher purpose. This is the "me" at the center.

Expanding from the individual is the "we" level, encompassing the team and the broader organization. This extends to managers and culture teams. It's crucial to align everyone's personal purposes with the organizational purpose.

Beyond the "we" level is the "world" level. Our actions have a ripple effect, impacting others up to seven degrees around us, affecting them by three degrees daily. This includes our partners, society, and the global community.

2. How to help your people find their higher purpose ???

For most of us, finding our purpose is a journey, not a sudden revelation.

That’s why it’s important to tune into the small moments of meaning along the way.

Her first piece of advice about purpose is to approach it wholeheartedly. She says that a half-hearted attempt can backfire, leading people to dismiss it as just another fleeting trend. Purpose, when genuinely pursued, is a vital source of happiness and well-being.

Start by helping individuals recognize their moments of meaning, which is more relatable than chasing a grand life purpose.

1?? In one-on-one sessions, help them to identify which tasks, jobs, or projects provide motivation and a sense of meaning.

2?? Often, meaning is found in collaboration. Help them identify which team members contribute to this feeling and explore the reasons behind it. These insights are key to understanding their own sense of purpose.

3?? Assist them in drafting a personal statement of purpose. Even a few words that resonate and capture their essence can be powerful.

Your goal is to help them tap into this and share their unique gifts and purpose.

3. Transcendence and its role in the workplace ??

Beyond our individual selves, there's the aspiration to be part of something greater, a calling that transcends money, time, status, or privilege. Sunny says that this higher purpose has long been integral to spiritual and personal integration.

Evidence shows that when people feel connected to a higher calling through their work, their motivation, engagement, and resilience see a significant boost.

One example Sunny likes to give is from Bankers Healthcare Group, whom she helped to find their higher purpose. Most businesses start with a dream beyond just making money. For Bankers Healthcare Group, it became 'helping people pursue their dreams'. Sunny mentioned that this wasn’t about making more money or closing deals; it was about enabling dreams.

She said this was a game changer for the business. They aligned each team member’s personal purpose with the organization’s, reinforcing that their work was never just about making money, even as a banking firm.

Now, the cornerstone of their culture is helping people pursue their dreams, always asking, 'Does this help people pursue their dreams?' This aligns both the higher purpose and business objectives.

Good news from Leapsome: Luck Dookchitra Steps in as VP of People ??

Big news in the HR world – Leapsome, one of our amazing sponsors, just welcomed Luck Dookchitra as their first-ever VP of People. Luck's a powerhouse, having shaped people strategies at Spotify and Teachable, to name a few.

With Luck at the helm, Leapsome's gearing up for some serious growth and a fresh take on what it means to be people-first. We can't wait to see the magic she'll bring to the table. And who knows? She may be joining us for an episode soon. Follow Luck on LinkedIn to stay tuned!

That's this week's good news from Leapsome — which is trusted by 1,500+ companies for things like goals, surveys, reviews, learning, and more. Check them out and mention MPL sent you.

Sunny's definition of a Modern People Leader ??

"The modern people leader knows themselves first and foremost, they are radically self aware. They know how they're going to react in the highs and lows. They care about their people and show it in their own way. They are models of psychological safety. So they go first in sharing their own stories and what's meaningful to them. And they truly care about helping others to find who they are and what they're passionate about."

The career advice Sunny would give to her 22-year-old self ??

"Trust the journey. You may open a door and it looks dark. When you walk through it, you can keep your eyes open, look through the darkness, and you'll be coming to another door. We're constantly unfolding to understand our paths. There's ways to enjoy the dark as well, and to find yourself there, and to find the answers there, too."

Go listen to the full episode: Apple | Spotify

See you next week!

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