Workers with a strong sense of purpose in their roles are more likely to be engaged at work and less likely to feel burned out or search for a new job. Yet only 30% of hiring managers consider purpose to be a key predictor of success, according to Gallup survey results published Nov. 11.
Here are four findings from the Aug. 18-25 survey of 4,475 adults employed in the U.S.:
1. Employees with a strong sense of purpose at work are 5.6 times more likely to be engaged than those with a low sense of purpose.
2. Among workers with a strong sense of work purpose, 50% are engaged, 41% are looking for new roles and 13% report frequent burnout. Among those with a low sense of purpose, just 9% are engaged, 68% are job hunting and 38% feel burned out often.
3. Hiring managers ranked communication skills as the top factor in determining a new hire’s success (77%), followed by a desire to learn and grow (66%) and alignment with company culture (55%). They ranked a strong sense of personal purpose lower, at 30%, ahead of ambition to advance (26%) and experience, education or training level (25%).
4. Forty-five percent of respondents said they work primarily for pay and benefits. Only 18% said their work has a purpose they believe in, and 12% said their job allows them to pursue purpose in other areas outside of work.
While survey respondents’ ages were not available, hospital and health system leaders have recently highlighted Generation Z’s focus on purposeful work — a priority executives said is shaping workforce planning.
“The Gen Z workforce is our future, and we need to shift our value proposition and workforce planning approach to attract and engage this dynamic generation,” LeAnne Andersen, chief people officer of Green Bay and La Crosse, Wis.-based Emplify Health, said in August. “Gen Z has taught us that it is not only acceptable but important to openly discuss purpose, highlighting the difference between being mission-driven and purpose-driven, with a growing emphasis on emotional connection and a desire to make a positive impact in the world.”
