The purpose of the work

What is the most important thing about a job? For most people the answer is usually salary, of course. But, in many other cases, a second element that prompts one to consider a job interesting is the search for deeper meaning. A survey by the U.S. consulting firm McKinsey & Company showed that 82 percent of employees believe it is important that their company has an ultimate purpose, thus contributing to society by creating meaningful work. Simply put: if a company has purpose, so will its people(Bbc).

Work well

And it is again a report by the U.S. consulting giant that argues how 70 percent of workers say that the meaning of their existence depends largely on the job they hold, and how meaningful that job seems to be to themselves and society at large. Employees who are satisfied with this goal, the research adds, are much more engaged and are about half as likely to look for a new job. In recent months, we have heard a lot of talk about “big quitting” and “quiet quitting,” although the data have not always borne out these definitions that have gone viral. The real reason leaders care about these phenomena, Bloomberg writes, is not so much because they describe real behaviors, but because so many people find them attractive in a way.

• How to make sure employees are happy and satisfied(Forbes).

Youth work

The search for meaning in one’s work, however, is a relatively new idea. The real paradigm shift came with the Industrial Revolution, the BBC adds. Before then, people worked and were paid for a living, with no greater purpose required or expected. The desire for meaningful work has been a slow and steady evolution, and it occurred when society simply became richer. Over time, when decent working conditions and adequate wages became paramount, workers began to demand more from their employment. This drive, several surveys show today, is especially true for the younger generation who have just entered the workforce and who in high percentages consider “purpose” even more important than pay(Forbes).

• 4 useful books if you are bored at work. Mental coach’s word(Cnbc).