People Need Purpose: How Positive Impact Helps You Attract, Retain and Motivate Talent

Our relationship with work is changing: merely picking up a payslip is out. Expressing your values through your employment is in. If you want to find and retain the right talent, then you need to understand that shift, and give your people the professional purpose and meaning they’re looking for. 

It’s a simple point, but one that far too many brands are continuing to miss.

A recent study from Gallup revealed that only 15% of employees consider themselves to be ‘engaged’ in the workplace; another 2023 study from Monster found that 96% of employees surveyed were currently looking for a job. That’s a lot of people, at all levels, feeling disenchanted by their day-to-day life.

These numbers are shocking, but they reflect findings from across the Global North, showing a steady decline in people’s attachment to their work. So what’s going on? Why are so many people feeling so uninspired by their jobs? And how can you fix this for your team?

People are an asset

At Fox + Hare, we know that a company's success hinges not just on attracting customers, but on finding the right talent: people who understand your mission, and will actively focus on delivering it. But that commitment works both ways: if you’re asking your employees to invest in your values, you have to do the same for them.

Gone are the days when a pay check and benefits package were enough. In 2024, employees want to see genuine ideological commitment from their employers, taking on shared action to tackle the pressing issues of our times.

People are looking for meaning. But most of them aren’t finding it.

74% of employees said their job is more fulfilling when they’re given the chance to make a positive impact on social and environmental issues.

70% indicate they’d be more loyal to a company that helps them contribute to these issues.

And an overwhelming 51% of employees say they’d turn their back on a company that doesn't have robust sustainability policies in place.

As expected, these effects are particularly pronounced among millennials and gen z, who are poised to dominate the workplace in coming years. They’re the Extinction Rebellion generation, and they’re not going anywhere.

What can I do?

Ultimately, our jobs can’t be boiled down to a title and a to-do list: they’re an expression of who we are, and the place we occupy in the world. People expect their work to mirror how they see themselves, with environmental sustainability a non-negotiable core value. Research from the 'Great Place To Work' study in 2023 shows that employees are 11 times more likely to plan to stay, and 14 times more likely to look forward to coming to work, if their workplace mirrors their values.

Employee engagement, retention, and overall well-being rely on employers finding and activating that emotional, purpose-led connection with their teams. But what does this look like in practice?

Partly, it’s about knowing who you are: communicating your identity and values coherently, having a clear mission, and telling your story proudly (even the bits where you’re still learning).

But you’ve also got to back up your words with real-world action. People expect to see evidenced contributions from their employers on social and environmental issues: you don’t have to save the entire planet, but you do need to show that you’re looking after your little corner of the world. Find the right issue to act on, then involve your employees in creating meaningful change.

That’s a challenge, sure. But we believe it’s the right thing to do: not just from a values perspective, but in terms of cold commercial strategy too

Businesses with a clear approach to purpose and sustainability are on average 18% more productive and 12% more profitable (according to Deloitte) than those which focus solely on profit, outperforming the market by 7% annually and delivering 2% greater shareholder returns (based on stats from McKinsey).

Unlocking people’s motivation goes hand in hand with this: 73% of employees at purpose-led companies say they’re engaged with their work, versus 23% elsewhere (another Deloitte finding). Those overlaps between increased motivation and increased productivity - and profitability - aren’t coincidental.

How can we help?

At Fox + Hare we’re purpose, positive impact and sustainability specialists. We help our clients identify and sharpen their purpose, or make it land more effectively with their audiences, including their employees.

We help our clients go from being in ‘purpose limbo’, to making meaningful strides forward: we’ve seen this give our clients and their teams a new lease of life, again and again.

If you’re interested about how we work and what we can do for you, or if you just want to chat about how purpose can help you find and retain the right talent, get in touch here.