Meaningful work – a critical success factor for companies and their employees

The conceptual understanding of paid work and willingness to perform has fundamentally shifted in recent decades. For Baby Boomers and Generation X, incentives such as a high income, defined career paths and job security were traditionally the main factors influencing the choice of employer. Since the entry of Generation Y (Millennials) – and certainly Generation Z – into the labour market, however, a shift in values has become apparent. Above all, it has become increasing important for people to find meaning in their work (1).

When is work meaningful?
Meaningful work refers to the subjective perception of employees that their work is personally and/or socially significant, rewarding and valuable (2). Whether work feels meaningful is highly individual and depends on a person’s values, needs and life experiences.

In general, work is more likely to be experienced as meaningful when employees have enough freedom and autonomy in their roles to make their own decisions. Other aspects of work organisation — such as variety and opportunities for personal and professional development — are also commonly cited as factors that contribute to meaningful work. Being able to apply their own skills is key for 82% of employees (3). The completeness of a task — meaning the ability to carry out a piece of work from start to finish — as well as being able to see how the work contributes to overall success, are further important elements of meaningful activity. Surveys show that work is particularly meaningful when it intrinsically provides feedback, for instance when something is created that has a direct (social) benefit (3). Finally, corporate culture also plays a crucial role. A sense of meaning often arises from a strong feeling of togetherness in a team with shared values and goals, and from the alignment between personal values and those of the wider organisation or professional field.

Effects of meaningful work
Employees who experience their work as meaningful report significantly higher job satisfaction than those who perceive their tasks as meaningless. Being able to align their own skills with the demands of the role also leads to more frequent positive emotions in everyday working life (4). A longitudinal study further showed that meaningful work is an important predictor of psychological wellbeing (5).
A sense of meaning is also linked to the willingness to perform and the level of engagement shown by employees. Those who see their work as meaningful invest more time and energy in their tasks (6). Meaningful work therefore benefits not only individual employees, but also the company. This is illustrated by findings indicating that a stronger sense of meaning is associated with lower intentions to leave a company. Employees who feel their job is valuable and personally meaningful report significantly lower turnover intentions and a stronger commitment to their employer (5).

Conclusion
Social developments and existing research findings suggest that companies expecting high levels of commitment from their employees must also inspire them accordingly. For younger generations in particular, having a sense of meaning in their work is becoming increasingly important. Autonomy, opportunities for development, task completeness and a visible contribution to the company or society are therefore key levers for strengthening employee motivation, willingness to perform and long‑term commitment. Companies can support this by integrating meaningfulness into how work is organised and how processes are designed, or by fostering team collaboration and shared value development through dedicated workshops.

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Sources

1. Deloitte; 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey
2. Badura, B. (2017). Arbeit und Gesundheit im 21. Jahrhundert – Mitarbeiterbindung durch Kulturentwicklung
3. Swiss HR Barometer 2024
4. Charles-Leija et al. (2023). Meaningful work, happiness at work, and turnover intentions (Meaningful Work, Happiness at Work, and Turnover Intentions | MDPI)
5. Herr et al. (2023). The longitudinal directional associations of meaningful work with mental well-being – initial findings from an exploratory investigation
6. Cnossen, F., & Nikolova, M. (2025). Work meaningfulness and effort (Work meaningfulness and effort - ScienceDirect)