How to Create a Clear Sense of Purpose for Your Employees

Two construction workers are pouring cement. A passerby approaches them and asks what they’re doing. The first worker states, “I’m pouring cement,” the second states, “I’m creating a beautiful walkway that will lead to a breathtaking community garden in our city.” Both cement pourers were doing the same thing, yet they were clearly doing their work with very different mindsets. Which of these mindsets would you want your employees to embrace?

When employees feel connected to the purpose of your organization they experience a feeling of caring about something bigger than themselves. Providing a clear sense of purpose to employees seems like it should be easy. The people we care for are the reason we do what we do, right? While this is true, it’s important that employees feel and see why and how their work is meaningful.

When you can articulate this, individual performance and personal fulfillment increases. Unlock the power of purpose in your employees and your organization will be rewarded with individuals who want to stay with your organization and are motivated to contribute to its success.

How Can You Create a Clear Sense of Purpose?
1. Communicate what your organization stands for, what it wants to achieve, and how staff can contribute to its success. Make sure you utilize as many communication channels as possible to create a clear line of sight to your organization’s purpose and goals.

2. Share information about how your organization is improving, and what accomplishments have been achieved. Whenever possible, use this information to teach employees about the value of collaboration. An example: “Our patient satisfaction scores improved because of you working together to create an excellent experience.”

3. If residents or families give you positive feedback, be sure to share this with employees. Show employees how the care they provide to patients is making a difference.

4. Don’t forget about employees who may not provide direct resident care. A housekeeper may see their job as tedious. But if you can show why the work is compelling — a clean room means fewer germs and decreases the likelihood of secondary infections — you’ll directly impact how these employees connect with their roles.

This article is a part of a larger series on the cultural attributes of employee engagement, click here to read the other articles.