How to create meaning at work? – tips for leaders and employees

October 14, 2026

Working life is constantly changing, which affects which factors employees consider important. In the past, a job was more of a transactional exchange, in the sense that you worked in order to receive pay in return. Today, more attention is paid to other significant aspects of a job. In line with this perspective, we want tasks that are interesting, meaningful and rewarding.

Considering how large a share of our waking hours work takes up, it is natural to think that it should be something more than just activities to earn a living. In addition, the line between work and leisure is becoming increasingly blurred as a result of digitalisation and availability. Many feel that they are constantly online, as thoughts about work are rarely put completely aside. That is why it is critical to enjoy what you do, and seeing your work as meaningful is absolutely essential.

Today there is a strong focus on the importance of meaningful work. The expert panel of Abelia, NHO's association for technology and knowledge companies, highlights meaningful work as one of eight very important factors for employees in its 2023 HR survey on future-oriented employers. What does it actually mean to have meaningful work, and why is it so important? How can employees themselves increase their sense of having a meaningful job, and how can leaders be good supporters in this context?

Read: How to lead Generation Z?

What is meaningful work?

Meaningful work is about a feeling that what you do has a purpose, and that you contribute to a greater whole. It can involve a sense of having a positive impact on other people or on society. Some have very well-paid jobs and work in the finest surroundings. Others work in, in that sense, poorer conditions, but can still be more motivated and engaged at work than the former. This suggests that they value other essential factors.

There are many aspects that can make employees experience meaning in their working day, including a sense of mastery, contributing to positive change in society, being among pleasant and supportive colleagues, and receiving feedback that contributes to recognition and development. What gives meaning is subjective and individual, and is shaped by people's values, attitudes, needs and wishes. While some are inspired by working in a non-profit organisation that fights for an important cause and helps other people, others are more strongly motivated by using their competence to develop new, effective solutions. In other words, meaningful work is complex in the sense that what people put into it will vary from employee to employee. Even so, it is an important motivational factor for everyone.

Read: How to create high motivation at work?

Why is meaningful work so important?

A lack of meaning in your job can be unengaging and uninspiring, and at worst very demotivating. Studies have found support for the idea that employees who experience meaningful work have less absence, are more satisfied with their job, and even have greater overall happiness. In addition, studies have shown that many employees are willing to earn less if they consider the job meaningful (Abelia). Since meaningful work gives people a sense of purpose and direction, it can give them something to strive for. This can make it easier to handle change and challenges well. Leaders can help employees experience their work as meaningful and facilitate this.

Leaders play a crucial role

Beyond the fact that leaders should ensure employees experience their work as meaningful because of the many positive consequences, the employer is also obliged to “secure a working environment that provides a basis for a health-promoting and meaningful working situation, …” (Working Environment Act, Section 1-1). Leaders play a key role in shaping the organisational culture and in how employees feel at work. By creating a culture where employees are proud of their workplace and understand how they contribute to the organisation's goals and strategies, leaders can increase the sense of meaning. It is also essential to give trust and autonomy, offer meaningful tasks that matter to others, and make it possible for employees to see that they are part of something bigger.

Read: Trust-based leadership – a key factor for future-oriented employers

Given how subjective and individual the sense of meaning in work is, it can be a challenging task for leaders to increase it among all employees. However, there are some general aspects of meaningful work that leaders can try to ensure are present. Having a goal and a direction is important in this context. The key is to find out what gives meaning to each employee. This requires good communication with your employees, and praising them so that they see the significance of what they do in a bigger setting. Experiencing mastery and feeling seen and heard gives many people a sense that they are contributing something meaningful. Leaders can also point out how the organisation contributes to society, be it on a sustainable, economic or social level. Even though leaders play a crucial role, employees themselves also have a responsibility for experiencing their job as meaningful.

Read: The employee appraisal: Creating value through dialogue

Employees can increase their own sense of meaning

We are not always aware of why we are motivated, or why our motivation sometimes drops. This requires self-insight, powers of observation and awareness. Set aside time for reflection, and think about why your job is important. What do you do that is positive for your colleagues or the company's results – or perhaps you are part of an important contribution to society? Seeing the big picture – what you contribute and the meaning of what you do – can increase motivation, well-being and performance. Experiments with various occupational groups have underlined the importance of prosocial motivation in this context.

Read: Tired of your job? Get tips on how to motivate yourself!

Prosocial motivation is about the desire to be valuable to others and to do something that benefits the people around you. Professor Linda Lai claims that this form of motivation is an underestimated driving force (BI). Noticing how you make a difference for others is an essential driver of both performance and the sense of meaning in work (Abelia). Employees can therefore improve their working day by reaching out a hand and helping colleagues on their own initiative, to increase their own sense of usefulness and create meaning in their own career. A win-win situation with positive ripple effects for the individual, the team and the organisation as a whole. In other words, don't expect your leader alone to give you a sense of meaning. It also requires something of you and your employeeship.

Do yourself and the rest of your organisation a favour – be proactive in seeking a sense of meaning at work!