Photo by Jacqueline Munguía on Unsplash
It should not be surprising, but when people love their jobs, and are empowered to address problems, they are more productive. They may work late, go home exhausted, but are anxious to return the next day. Research confirms they have better, happier lives and that carries over to their families and daily contacts.
That is the focus of the research and writing of Harvard’s Arthur Brooks. He argues “To get the best out of people, treat them as people.” Multiple studies show investing in employee “well-being . . . not only raises employees’ quality of life – it significantly increases productivity and profitability as well.”
An added performance factor is an employer’s purpose. A Harvard Business Impact column reports, “Only 7% of Fortune 500 CEOs believe their company should ‘mainly focus on making profits and not be distracted by social goals.’” “Purpose-oriented companies . . . achieve 30% higher levels of innovation and better performance overall when leaders and employees believe in and act upon its purpose.”
Once the purpose is defined, “The next step is building authentic commitment from leaders at every level of the organization. That requires each leader, down to front line supervisors, to internalize the purpose and find ways to integrate it into the everyday work they and their teams do.”
“Research supports . . . having a sense of purpose has been linked to better health, increased longevity, and higher overall well-being.” When its shared by leaders and co-workers, it strengthens working relationships, mutual trust, and the team raises performance levels.
