5 ways to create meaningful work for your team

In a recent survey conducted by the coaching platform, BetterUP, revealed that employees would sacrifice an average salary of $21,100 every year of their working lives in exchange for the knowledge that their work would be meaningful. So it is no surprise that people who enjoy what they do are far less stressed than those who don’t like their jobs. Furthermore, when people find their work meaningful, they are likely to exert more effort, stick with the company, inspire others to do good work, and have a more positive employee experience. 

Now, are you wondering why meaningful work is important and how you could help create meaningful work? You’ve come to the right place. In this Pacific Prime UK article, you will get to know the impact of meaningful work on the workforce and how HR managers and leaders can create meaningful work for their teams.

1. Start with a clear mission, values, and employer brand 

Work loses meaning when there is a disconnect between what the employee thinks is important and what the company believes is important. So, it’s essential to make values clear from the beginning to avoid a crisis. You could do this by communicating the following values: 

Mission

A robust mission will keep employees motivated when things get challenging and unclear. But make sure that they understand the mission and believe in it. 

Values 

It’s extremely important to set values for your company and adhere to them because your company values are employees’ beliefs.

Employer value proposition

Your employer brand is how you describe your value to your ideal job candidates. The employer value proposition is your promise to candidates of what they can expect if they take a job with your company.

2. Support every member of the team to perform a “purpose audit”

Once you get the values in order and everyone understands the importance of what your organisation stands for, it’s time to ensure that every employee knows what they find personally meaningful. McKinsey & Company found that most employees fall into one of the following “purpose archetypes”:

1. The free spirit – those who find meaning in situations where they control what they do and when they do it. 
2. The achiever – employees who find purpose in achieving goals and awards, tend to find meaning in self-improvement.
3. The caregiver – generally speaking, caregivers find meaning in choosing when and how to take care of others and aren’t bothered about what the rest of the world thinks about them. 

3. Bring work and company values together 

Now that you have established your values and your employees are aware of them, it’s time to move onto the next step – work with your team to find ways to align these values and their work. Sometimes, you may have to change roles and assign tasks differently. 

4. Take time to show the impact of their work

From customer reviews to changes in numbers, the more aware your employees are about how their work helps the organisation, the more this can motivate them to find meaning in their jobs. So, make sure to catch up with your teammates once every now and then to go over the impact of their work. 

5. Give your employees more autonomy over their roles.

A corner office or getting a fat check to do something that contributes to the greater good does not necessarily mean that they find the job meaningful if they don’t have control over how they do their job. Frontiers of Psychology, a book by researchers Martela and Pessi, notes that,

“When one feels that one is just a ‘cog in a machine’ doing something repetitive with no possibility to influence the content of one’s work and constantly controlled by some authority, one might find the work not worth doing, even if it would be well compensated and have a noble purpose.”

So, take a step back from micromanagement and let your team members work in their preferred way. This will not only empower them but also help them find meaning in what they do. 

About Pacific Prime UK 

With over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, Pacific Prime UK can help you find the insurance plan that will meet your requirements and budget. Pacific Prime UK is a one-stop shop for all your insurance needs, from short-term and family health insurance to group health insurance plans. 

Give our experienced and knowledgeable insurance advisors a call today for a free quote or expert employee benefits advice.