In the past few years, finding Purpose or Meaning at work has dominated much of the culture, behaviour, values and Employer Brand narrative. That shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, if you love what you do, chances are, you’re going to be engaged in it, give the discretionary effort that makes a real difference and be an advocate for the brand. For the employer, there’s the secret sauce, right there.

However, according to a survey by HP, published last September, only 28% of ‘knowledge workers’ consistently experience purpose in their work and a meagre 28% feel connected to the work they do. The data indicates that over two thirds of workers are not finding purpose in their work on a regular basis.

Should we be surprised? In some ways, yes. That’s an extraordinary large number of people who go to work without a deep level of buy-in to what they are doing in their role or belief in what the company stands for. On the other hand, the survey excludes those who we might identify as carers, volunteers or those that we consider to be vocational or ‘calling’ professions. Those people who by definition, tend to have a strong sense of or connection to purpose.

One of the most complex aspects of delivering purpose or meaning at an organisation, team, or individual level is in the definition itself. The challenge is, one person’s purpose is potentially totally irrelevant to another. Take, for example, two Software Engineers working for a prestige, sustainable, online, retail, cosmetic brand; one is there for the total rewards, to build a retirement pot and lives for the weekend kite surfing in Cornwall; the other is there because they genuinely believe in wanting to help save the planet, disrupt the market and work on the most innovative tech stack in the industry. They both have purpose and find meaning in what they do yet are motivated by totally different things.

How we attract, retain and engage talent is therefore a real challenge. The temptation is to be all things to all people but if we do that, how do we differentiate ourselves in a competitive market? How do we become distinctive? And, perhaps more importantly, how do we reach passive talent or filter out active candidates who just aren’t suitable for the business?

Understanding and defining our target audience is key. Personalising our relationships with candidates and employees helps develop an emotional connection that gets closer to their meaning and identifies potential or existing alignment to the company’s purpose.

What is certain is that for new generations in the workplace (from Millennials: The Purpose Generation, to Gen Z and Gen Alpha), purpose is becoming a hygiene factor. Companies need to be delivering on CSR and ESG promises, putting social conscience over profit and contributing to society and community not just locally but all around the globe.

These are now table stakes for candidates and employees. If you aren’t being seen as a force for good or for successfully connecting purpose and meaning to the individual, your reputation as an employer is likely to be on a downward trajectory.