Helping employees to find more meaning in their work is simple and does not cost much – if anything at all. Here are tips on how to have employees feel valuable in the office.
"Employees are no longer content with just a pay cheque and good benefits. There is a soul-searching epidemic afoot in the workplace where they want meaning and passion," says Mias de Klerk, professor in Human Capital Management and Leadership Development at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB).
As a boss you should try to:
1. Sit with every employee in your team and ensure they know and understand the importance of their job and the reason for doing it properly. The security guard who understands that she/he is the face of the organisation to customers will act differently and with meaning.
2. Ensure that every person, across all levels, know and understand their contribution to the success and future of the team and the organisation. This is similar to the anecdotal story of the broom sweeper at NASA who claimed that his job was to put a person on the moon.
3. Make sure that every employee understands how the organisation contributes to building a better society and a future for society – and that it is not just about the money.
4. Instil and embed spiritual values in your organisation, such as care, respect, integrity, dignity and generosity. This will enhance engagement and performance significantly.
5. Embed a culture of self-transcendence in which the organisation and employees do not only take care of themselves, but also reach out to each other and the community to help and assist where there is a need.