Meaning at Work

Finding meaning at work is just as important as knowing the functions of your job or having your leader’s support. At the core of every engagement initiative is helping employees find and embrace their meaning. Without meaning, employees will come to work for the paycheck, but they will not be fully committed, will not perform to their best ability, and eventually will burnout. Experiencing meaning is felt through a psychological feeling that your very existence is significant. When applied to the work setting, employees want to know and experience that same feeling of significance related to their job function. To assist with this process, employees can utilize the ICE (Identify, Connect, Explore) Connection Method to help foster a personal feeling of meaning at work.

Identify The Meaning

When cultivating a deep sense of meaning at work, we must first identify what that meaning is and what it looks like. So, we start by identifying the meaning. Think about your job function. How does your role impact your family? Is there any direct correlation between the product your company produces and the people you care about? In addition, think about the effects your job role has on your environment. Is your company positively or negatively influencing the community you are part of? Also, consider the organization as a whole. How does your role contribute to the overall success of the company? Asking yourself these questions and investigating the answers will help you to develop a greater attachment to your job role.

Connect The Meaning

After you have identified the meaning of your job role, the second step is to look for ways to connect with that meaning. Ask yourself how that meaning contributes to your professional goals and objectives. If you are still searching for your purpose, ask yourself if there is a connection with the meaning and what motivates you. Next, recognize any feeling of accomplishment or the lack thereof related to your job role. This is not a feeling of satisfaction but a feeling of achievement as a result of your performance or efforts. Finally, examine if any sense of fulfillment is connected to the meaning of your job function at work. This feeling of fulfillment does not mean that you have no desire to strive for more. But it means you are currently content with what you do while you work toward being better. Connecting with your meaning at work will allow you to be productive where you are as you continue to grow and develop.

Explore The Meaning

The final step is to explore the meaning further. This is where you begin to take a more introspective look at your job role. Ask yourself if this role aligns with your strengths. If not, consider building your strengths in this area, or you might want to reconsider the role altogether. Likewise, ask yourself if this job role aligns with your personal identity. If you have to change who you are while performing this job role, it will impact your performance. The last question you want to ask is whether the meaning related to this job role aligns with your values. A high-performing and engaged employee is one who does not have to compromise their morals or values to perform their job role. To further cultivate your meaning at work, click the link below and complete the Find My Meaning worksheet.