Employee engagement is at a 10-year low. Yikes. Disconnected, disengaged, and job hugging all seem to be making headlines.
That’s why I was especially inspired by a LinkedIn interview with Arthur Brooks, Harvard professor and author of The Meaning of Your Life. One idea stood out immediately.
When asked what creates meaning at work, Brooks boiled it down to just two things: Value and Service.
I’ve described why I love my work in many words, but as I sat with it, the more I thought: yep, it boils down to just that.
Value: Does what I do make a difference?
This one hits close to home. At our small (but mighty) company where it’s not uncommon to work on a project from idea to implementation, it’s easier to see the impact of your work.
But as a leader, it still got me thinking – does each of our JB team members know the real difference they make? There are so many routine responsibilities – Zoom links, CRM tracking, contracts, calendar invites, reporting – that are the rock-solid foundation of what makes us great. They aren’t that flashy but they make ALL the difference. I’ve made a special effort to bring into the spotlight those seemingly small responsibilities that are the difference makers.
This week, let someone at work know how they made a difference and a real impact for you or your team.
Service: Am I serving others?
This second ingredient may be even more powerful. There’s a meaningful difference between doing a job and being in service of others – colleagues, clients, a shared mission. When the work is people-oriented, not just focused on results, it carries weight that a task list never could.
Brooks shared a small piece of advice for someone who said they were disengaged at work. He said: be the person to make a new pot of coffee and bring a cup to the person who sits next to you. A simple act of service brings meaning to an ordinary day.
At JB, our team members go above and beyond for each other – pitching in when someone is overloaded or covering for them while on PTO so they can really refresh. It’s easy to see how this culture of service brings real meaning to the day.
So what does this mean for us at work?
If you’re leading a team, ask yourself: do the people around you know they’re making a difference? Have you told them lately? And are you building a culture where supporting one another is simply how work gets done?
Meaning is built in the everyday: in feedback given, in help offered, in work that connects to something bigger than your to-do list.
Value. Service. How doyou build this into your culture and leadership? When people know they matter and feel they are helping others, work becomes more than work – it becomes meaningful.