Purpose is an Employee Engagement Driver

Purpose is an Employee Engagement Driver
Purpose is an employee engagement driver and a win-win for all involved. Employees who feel a sense of purpose in their work tend be happier, healthier, and more productive. Employers who attract workers who share the same purpose driven mission of why the company does what they do tends to lead to stronger financial performance. Employee engagement strengthens when employers explain how employees are contributing to the success of the business.

Millennials are Highly Purpose Driven
Most people have a sense of purpose that drives what they do. What we are finding is that Millennials (Gen Y) are extremely purpose driven. Millennials are willing to forgo a larger paycheck to work for an employer that has a clear purpose. It is not all about “what we do” but more so “why we do this.” Discovering the “why” of a company turns into a motivational and engagement driver, because it captures the heads and hearts of employees, which has been referred to as the company’s “philosophical heartbeat.” How are you connecting your purpose with this generation?

Corporate Responsibility
Corporate social responsibility is now being seen as a way to measure a company’s overall value and vitality. While it’s engaging for employees to be part of a philanthropic and charitable goal, there seems to be more to it. When an employee can connect on a deeper level with the organization, the higher probability they will be engaged. By tying fun and goals to a company’s social responsibility initiative, the more employees will gather as an internal community and join the purpose of the company.

Remember, it’s no longer only about what you do, but why you do it. Knowing this, it’s important to think of ways to use purpose to customize engagement. It may be best to focus on individual goals on purpose, or maybe it’s teams and groups. Different generations seem to carry different values and perspectives. Your organization may benefit from driving purpose through different generational values. Clearly communicating purpose and creating a culture that is purpose focused will likely increase engagement and drive individual and business performance.

–Kaitlyn Carr, Organizational Development Specialist @EmplyEngagement @Kacarr789