The Science of Meaningful Work: Why Employees Seek Purpose Over Pay—And What HR Leaders Can Do About It

Our lives are better than ever. We have more protection, better benefits and more flexibility at work, yet more and more people of all ages are disillusioned. Why is that? 

The world we experience today offers us so many more opportunities and choices. Most of us agree the general standard of living and quality of life has improved over the past 50 years. And yet, the evidence points to an increase in dissatisfaction with our professional lives.  

Gallup’s annual survey that tracks our collective relationship to work shows around 60% of us find little meaning and take little fulfilment from our work and a staggering 20% say that it is the main reason they feel completely miserable. Another report published last year by UK’s leading HR professional body, CIPD, cited as many as 90% of us were disengaged with our jobs.  

The folly of treating disillusionment with more of the same 

Many of us are familiar with Steven Kerr’s seminal article on the irrationality of organisational reward programs in the 1980s. We think we are experiencing something similar with the erosion in employee engagement.  

Top talent see competitive reward propositions as a hygiene factor (consistent with Maslow and Herzberg’s research). Their search is increasingly beyond competitive rewards to find something more powerful and eternal, meaning. They want to understand how their work contributes to a greater purpose. 

This search for meaning appears to be a pervasive trend. However, it is especially pronounced among Millennials and Gen Z. 

Money Is the Baseline, Not the Motivator 

People need to pay bills. However, once these basic needs are met, money is not enough to keep employees engaged. Studies have repeatedly shown that after a certain income level, additional pay has little effect on job satisfaction or performance. 

Instead, employees are asking deeper questions: 

• What does my company stand for? 
• How does my work make a difference? 
• Am I contributing to something meaningful? 

When companies fail to answer these questions, employees become disengaged. The concepts of Boreout and Quiet Quitting are anchored in this dynamic.  

It’s about substance not blurb 

It’s not enough for a company to have a strong mission statement. Often the existence of well-intended statements can become a distraction or a source of cynicism. Employees need to see their organisations, their managers and leaders walking the talk. 

This requires companies and their leaders to be thoughtful, intentional, and above all authentic. It also requires that they communicate clearly and consistently about how each role supports the organization’s larger mission. Leaders connecting regular tasks to the company’s broader goals and societal contributions, will have the loyalty of their team. 

Our Top 5 Tips 

1. Define and Communicate a Clear Mission 

A strong mission statement can be a good start, but it must be more than words on a website. Leaders should consistently communicate the company’s purpose and values in ways that resonate with employees. 

2. Align Business Goals with Social Good 

Companies that integrate social impact into their business strategy not just as an afterthought, create meaningful workplaces. This could mean adopting sustainable practices, promoting a respectful and inclusive environment, or ensuring ethical supply chains. Keep in mind it needs to be value accretive – decarbonizing profits makes no sense. 

3. Foster a Culture of Integrity 

Employees want to work for companies they trust. Leaders should prioritize transparency, ethical decision-making, and accountability. When employees see their company acting with integrity, they feel proud to be part of it. Above all act quickly to remove bad behaviours. What often torpedoes efforts is a misguided tolerance for those who act badly. 

4. Pay Careful Attention to Degrees of Freedom 

Autonomy is the secret sauce to unleash discretionary effort. Be careful not to incremental-ise away human discretion. It’s easy to pursue centralisation, systematisation and automation efforts and forget how this impacts existing jobs. Make sure you constantly ‘defrag’ your organisation to ensure jobs continue to have impact and coherence. 

5. Provide Growth and Development Opportunities 

Meaningful work also includes personal and professional growth. Employees should feel that their company supports their learning, career progression, and ability to make an impact. People must feel that the company want to support them becoming the best and most successful version of themselves – Honest Feedback is key. There is no room for false kindness. 

In short – Meaning Is the New Differentiator 

The workplace is evolving. While financial rewards remain necessary, they are no longer enough to keep employees engaged and committed. Today’s top talent seeks more than just a paycheck, they seek purpose. They want to work for companies that make a positive impact and provide meaningful work. 

Organizations that understand this shift and build a culture of meaning will thrive. They will attract the best employees, inspire them to do great work, and create a lasting positive impact on the world. Those that ignore this change may find themselves struggling to keep their most valuable people. 

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Dr Helmut Schuster and Dr David Oxley are career futurists and co-authors of A Groundhog Career: A tale of career traps and how to escape them out on 18 March 2025, published by Practical Inspiration