Helping Employees Find Meaning

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A dominant idea within business schools and HR departments throughout America is job fit theory, which posits that professionals are more likely to succeed when there is alignment between one’s passion and vocation. Remember, a theory – in an academic context – is not an opinion. Rather, it is a scientific attempt to explain a phenomenon. There is a lot of evidence to support job fit theory, which is why it’s accepted by so many.

But what if a person starts a job for which he/she has no real passion? Does this doom that person to an unrewarding career? Not at all. It is possible to learn to love any work. This phenomenon is studied under a framework known as develop theory. The general idea behind this model: Anyone can learn to enjoy their career. This is something you can communicate to disengaged employees.

In Practice: Showing Employees How to Find Meaning

Researchers at the University of Michigan set out to determine if the traditional job fit model works in reverse. We cannot literally – biologically speaking – love a career. However, their findings show we can learn to enjoy one immensely, even if we have no initial passion for the work.

It’s important to note that each person brings different values and experiences into the workforce. Some people simply don’t know what their professional passion is yet, or where to look for it. They are not necessarily looking for love and/or passion for a career…but they can find it.

The key to finding a professional passion within existing work is to ask: What is really needed to be happy? Once the employee answers this questions, he/she can find value and meaning in their work. What employees need and/or want is often right in front of them. As leaders, we just have to adjust their thinking to recognize it.

How do we do this? Ask your employees “What will make you professionally happy?” His/her answers will be the starting point on a professional journey. For example, let’s say an employee wants to become a manager. Then, you can collaborate to identify the steps that must be accomplished to get him/her there. Never assume employees know what you know. It’s possible for them to find meaning in their work, if shown why their work has meaning.

Reference:

Chen, P. C. et al. (2015). Finding a Fit or Developing It: Implicit Theories About Achieving Passion for Work. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

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