How to Find More Meaning at Work
If you crave more meaning in your work, you’re not alone.
In a BetterUp Labs survey of over 2,200 employees across 26 industries and wide-ranging demographics, 9 out of 10 respondents said that they were “willing to trade a percentage of their lifetime earnings for greater meaning at work.”
The tradeoff is less clear for some than others, especially in a depressed economy. But does there really need to be a tradeoff? And if you’re currently employed, do you need to jump ship to search for a job or career with more meaning — or can you create it right where you are?
Where Do YOU Find Meaning?
Contrary to what you might assume, you don’t have to work in a traditional “helping” profession to find meaning in your work. Meaning is subjective and highly personal.
One of our recent clients was a serial entrepreneur who had founded and run several successful small businesses by the time she turned 55 years old. She called us after deciding she wanted to look for a corporate job.
While she was confident that she would be a qualified candidate for a CEO or COO position, she had no idea where to start. She initially struggled to identify companies or even industries to target in her job search.
It really didn’t matter to her so long as the role involved addressing a compelling issue that needed to be resolved.
That’s what make work meaningful for her. It defined her purpose and guided her career decisions.
Knowing you’re thirsty for more meaning in your work is one thing. Defining “meaning” can be another. Is it fighting social injustices? Teaching or leading others? Having a tight-knit work “family”? Making an impact on the environment?
If you’re struggling to articulate what’s truly important to you, assessments can provide a valuable starting point. By revealing your values, dominant personality traits, interests and strengths, they can help you understand what makes you tick. What energizes you.
Time travelling into the future can also help you figure out what matters most now. Visualize your future self. Imagine having coffee together, asking this wise future self for advice and perspective on next steps. Do you like what you hear? Does it make sense now? How can this inform your career-related decisions, and what specific steps can you take to move closer to that future version of you?
Creative Ways to Pursue Meaning at Work
If you’re not finding great purpose in your current position or at your current company, talk to your boss or management team. Explore whether there might be ways to change or redefine your role in a way that aligns with your goals. Offer to take on a new or side project that can expand your reach — and provide value to the organization. Maybe you can help land a new type of client, or propose a new type of service.
Volunteering for an organization can be another way to inject meaning into your life and work. Let’s say your expertise is in sales, fundraising, or graphic design. How and where can you offer your services to feel more personal reward while contributing to the greater good?
Even if you’re just answering phone lines or stocking shelves at a food pantry, lending your time and energies to a cause you believe in can be very energizing. It can also be a great way to develop skills you can add to your resume and build relationships with people in different businesses.
What about taking on a part-time side gig? One of our clients who worked in a marketing role for a large fitness corporation started teaching yoga classes two evenings per week. It was a great way for him to use his education and experience by day, and feed his personal passion too.
If you’re in the midst of a job search, why not target a company or organization whose mission aligns with your values? Many of your skills are likely transferable in a way that can feel more meaningful when applied to the right cause.
Try to learn as much as you can about a company’s culture before, during, and after the interview process. Many people can be happy and find meaning in their work if they have a supportive boss and/or work for a company that promotes collaborative, respectful teamwork.
Think Outside the Bubble
“I’m tired of living in a bubble,” one of our clients recently told us as he began his career coaching with us. “I need to be part of something bigger. I want my work to make a difference.”
In light of the global, national and community crises we’re all facing, there are no shortages of opportunities to contribute in a meaningful way. When the world gets turned upside down, it provides an opportunity for you to reflect and assess what matters most.
The good news is that it might be closer than you think, especially if you think creatively.
Another client who worked in municipal finance for more than two decades told us that people often assumed his job to be dull and meaningless since he spent his days deciphering data and charts. “Not at all!” he told us at our first meeting. “Municipal bonds pay for our roads and bridges, schools, libraries, and healthcare systems … all the things that help citizens live better lives.”
In that, he found great meaning at work. Where will you find yours?
Life is short. Thinking ahead can help you proactively avoid career-related regrets, including not taking meaningful paths you wish you had pursued. Don’t wish. The opportunity to create meaning in your career is yours … however, wherever and whenever you choose to take it.
Ready to begin the next chapter in your professional story?
We can help you take the first step.
Learn more about our Career Coaching services.