As younger generations enter the workforce, meaning has taken center stage. It’s no longer so much about what they can do for any given company – it’s what that company can help them do for the world. Meaning leads to fulfillment. And fulfillment leads to greater productivity and higher retention.

However, hybrid models tend to muddy the meaning waters. Not working in a physical location can dissolve the sense of alignment employees have with their company’s larger mission.

To make matters more difficult, many employees expect their organizations to provide meaning and fulfilment with no effort on their part to draw connections between their daily work and the greater good.

A fulfilling professional career takes personal investment and ownership. It also takes a mindful strategy from management. For hybrid organizations, achieving this alignment between mission-minded work and lofty expectations for fulfilment requires a mindset where meaning is created, not given. Here are three ideas to help.

More Meaning. A Clear Purpose:
3 Ways to Make Hybrid Work More Fulfilling

• Identify Your Why
  Everyone has heard of Simon Sinek’s classic book, Start with Why. However, few organizations have the stomach (or time) to examine the greater good they provide the world. During a recent project, one of our clients uncovered a fundamental truth about their work and encapsulated it in a short, memorable statement: “we unlock philanthropy.” This reenergized their employees and served as a constant reminder that their work makes an impact.
  
• Constantly Challenge Misalignment
  Once you know why your organization exists in the world, challenge the policies and practices that don’t align with that mission. Are there any areas that don’t ladder up to your purpose? Do any actively impede your purpose. Employees can sniff out a lack of authenticity faster than leftover food in the breakroom.
  
• Create a Culture of Personal Responsibility
  The onus of providing meaning and fulfillment doesn’t fall squarely on the shoulders of the organization. By creating a culture where individual employees are encouraged to discover the meaning behind their work and how it connects to the company’s larger mission is critical. Then ask managers to reinforce these connections during regular 1:1’s with their team members.

Making Hybrid Work Feel Meaningful

Helping employees feel engaged with your organization’s larger mission while also feeling fulfilled with their work through a computer monitor can often feel like an uphill battle. It’s easy to overlook the incredible role that mission plays in personal and professional development unless you make a concerted effort to build it into your hybrid strategy.

For more insights from our Living Lab, follow One Workplace on LinkedIn and see the research overview here.