7 Surprising Benefits of Doing Meaningful Work

Over the last couple of years, record numbers of people have left their jobs around the world. Stress, burnout, toxic workplaces cultures and overwhelming workloads have tipped people over the edge. 

Organisations have resorted to filling vacancies by increasing pay and offering a range of perks. Competitive job markets have spurred on hiring managers to focus on pushing the functional benefits of a job to lure talent such as salary, extra annual leave, wellbeing programs and new technology. 

What is becoming increasingly important is for leaders to focus on meaningful work.

Meaningful work can be defined as when employees understand the value of the work they do and how it links to the organisation’s mission.

Now, before you tell me that some jobs are inherently unloveable or meaningless. That's actually not true.

 

A ground breaking study has debunked this prevailing myth. Yale professor Amy Wrzesniewski worked with hospital cleaners to change their mindset about their job. Around one-third came to see their role as critical to the patient’s healing process. They were encouraged to get to know the patients and their families. Some staff worked with patients to choose the right artwork so that it would uplift their energy from their bed. In the end, the study found that hospital cleaners believed their work to be deeply meaningful.

What we forget is that everyone is different with a range of unique capabilities, beliefs, mindsets and aptitudes. One person's nightmare job is another person's dream job.  It all comes down to the meaning that we attribute to our jobs -  the "why" behind the work we do. All jobs can be meaningful - it all depends on the context we construct.

 

Let's take a look at some of the studies and benefits ascribed to finding meaningfulness in work:

 

 

Research shows that when we find our work meaningful, performance improves by 33% and the increased productivity amounts to as much as $10,000 per individual. 

 

 

3. Increases demand for jobs 

A recent by BetterUp study found that 9 out of 10 workers are willing to trade a percentage of their lifetime earning for greater meaning at work. This was consistent across all age groups.

In fact, a Canadian study by ServiceNow, found that office workers would give up nearly $9,000 in their annual pay raise for a more fulfilling job. The top motivation for employees to perform well wasn't money or prestige – it was meaning.

It also adds further weight to the argument that promoting a higher than average salary isn't the right way to attract the best employees. It also increases the likelihood of hiring entitled employees who keep asking for more money or resources without any doing any extra effort.

4. Increases employee engagement

In a study by Globoforce’s WorkHuman Research Institute and IBM’s Smarter Workforce Institute, they found that meaningful work topped the list of positive employee experiences.

 

That's because meaningful work improves our wellbeing. In the Bates-Gallup study of purposeful work: individuals who had high purpose in work were ten times more likely to experience overall well-being.

When we are able to do work that matches our passions, not only do organisations see an increase in productivity, but also higher rates of job satisfaction and a happier workplace overall.

The Path to More Work Meaningfulness

This is nothing new. McKinsey found that over the past 30 years, Americans have identified meaningful work as the most important aspect of a job—ahead of income, job security, and the number of hours worked.

What is new is that we live in a world with escalating burnout, stress and turnover levels. While meaningful work can't stop overload, it can improve wellbeing and provide people with a more enjoyable employee experience. When it is combined with employee recognition and employee engagement activities that focus on the emotional value of work - it helps employees feel appreciated and part of something bigger than themselves.

Conveying the meaning of work is one of the least utilised tools a leader has in their leadership toolbox to avoid poor performance and disengagement.  It comes down to reframing. Packing online orders is really about helping customers experience the delight of opening their new goods. Administration tasks are really about helping the organisation run more smoothly and meet regulations, so they can stay in business.

Leaders who work on communicating the meaning behind jobs create enormous value to themselves, their people and the company.

It calls for organisations to consider how all work tasks make a difference to people's lives and to find the right type of person who enjoys doing what other people consider a menial task. This requires leaders to lose the misconception that some jobs are unloveable and require tangible rewards.