#8: THE MISSION OR PURPOSE OF MY COMPANY MAKES ME FEEL MY JOB IS IMPORTANT

Why It's Important

The absence of many engagement elements — job clarity, proper equipment and resources, work that aligns with one's talents, consistent feedback — can create real obstacles to productivity. It's easy to see why employees need these elements to do their job well. The same cannot be said for the eighth element.

It is a strictly emotional need, and a higher-level one at that, as if employees cannot energize themselves to do all they could do without knowing how their job fits into the grander scheme of things. The data say that is just what happens.

If a job were just a job, it really wouldn't matter where someone worked. But employees want their job to have meaning. In fact, for millennials, this element was among the strongest drivers of retention.

What the Numbers Say

Globally, one in three employees strongly agree that the mission or purpose of their organization makes them feel their job is important. By doubling that ratio, organizations could realize a 34% reduction in absenteeism, a 41% drop in patient safety incidents and a 19% improvement in quality.

What the Best Managers Do

Many leaders and managers think that putting the organization's mission statement on a wall is enough for employees to feel this connection. It is not.

Leaders must ensure that the organization's mission and purpose are clear and aligned with the employee experience. Managers play a significant role in helping employees understand how their role and daily tasks contribute to the organization's mission. Great managers create opportunities for employees to share mission moments and stories about the organization achieving its purpose.

Back to Q07: AT WORK, MY OPINIONS SEEM TO COUNT

Continue to Q09: MY ASSOCIATES OR FELLOW EMPLOYEES ARE COMMITTED TO DOING QUALITY WORK