Unlocking Employee Potential: It's About Purpose, Not Just Promotions

I recently read a McKinsey report that highlighted that Career development and advancement opportunities are essential for employees to feel that they have a future in their firm, but showing a deeper connection between the work they are doing and a higher purpose is also important. This perfectly captures the core desire of today's workforce. And I would like to add, that there's another piece to the puzzle, which is a higher sense of purpose. Employees who feel their work contributes to a larger goal are more likely to be engaged and stay so, and less likely to leave. In today's competitive job market, employees – especially younger generations – prioritize meaningful work alongside career growth.

Purpose fuels employee engagement and retention. Yet it isn't a one-size-fits-all idea, it's deeply personal and rooted in an individual's core values, and we definitely do not live our purpose in the same manner at work as we do in our personal lives. So, how can we bridge the gap between individual aspirations and company purpose? The answer, we find lies in understanding values.

Think of your values as your guiding principles – the things that matter most to you. Do you crave innovation? Does social impact drive you? Aligning your values with your company's mission fosters a sense of belonging and significance. Our values are the fundamental beliefs that guide our decisions and actions. When we align our personal values with the values of our company, work becomes more than just a paycheck. It becomes a place where we can contribute meaningfully and feel a sense of accomplishment.

Here are a couple of tools we use with employees to help them bridge the gap when they are looking for work. New graduates are often blind and focused mainly on getting a job, as opposed to finding a fit. These two tips make it easier to find fit within your search.

Self-Discovery: Take some time for introspection. What are your core values? What kind of impact do you want to make?

Company Research: Dig into your company's mission statement and core values. Do they resonate with yours? How does their work contribute to a larger purpose? Now speak to others at the organization, either people you know or reach out to others you don’t, and find out if what they say is how people experience the firm.

Now you have joined the firm, or have been working there for a while, and once you've identified the connection between your values and your company's mission. Now what? Here's how to translate this into your professional environment:

Seek Opportunities: Speak with your manager about projects that align with your values and growth aspirations. Volunteer for initiatives that resonate with you.

Frame Your Work: During performance reviews or project discussions, highlight how your contributions connect to the company's mission and your deeper values.

For business leaders, here's how you, can help employees unlock their purpose:

Facilitate Self-Discovery: Encourage employees to reflect on their core values. This can be done through workshops, personality assessments, or even dedicated one-on-one conversations.

Align with Company Values: Clearly communicate links between your employees' values and those of the company's mission and values. Help them see the links in how their daily tasks contribute to the bigger picture. As leaders, ensure that managers are trained in providing individualized praise and better recognition for good work.

Translate Values into Action: Provide opportunities for employees to translate their values into concrete actions. This could involve volunteering, mentorship programs, or cross-functional projects that align with their passions.

By fostering a culture that connects individual purpose to company goals, you create a win-win situation. People who live their purpose at work are more productive than people who don’t. They are also healthier, more resilient, and more likely to stay at the company. As an employee you can see how you feel valued, are more engaged, and motivated, while your manager benefits from a more loyal, productive workforce, and overall that company unlocks a powerful motivator. When you feel valued, and engaged, you are more likely to stay. This translates to increased productivity, innovation, and a more positive work environment.

Companies should do more to empower employees to discover their values and help them align them within a professional environment. This deeper sense of purpose is often the key to unlocking deeper potential and building a thriving, purpose-driven organization. And by working together, you can create a more meaningful work experience for everyone.

If you struggle to do this, need direction, strategy or on-the-ground support, get in touch with us. There are organizations out there to help make it easier!

Contact us now, The Bedrock Program, ProConnect: [email protected]