Why should work be meaningful?

Today, our expectations have evolved. Fair pay is a starting point. In a labor-short world, finding a decent-paying job is easy.

On construction sites, workers often lament that ‘every job is the same.’ This perspective explains the propensity to switch jobs for minor gains.

Why, then, should workers give their all?

I’ve posed this question to leaders — the typical response: intrinsic motivation. A strong work ethic is an individual value.

But this response is simplistic. It absolves leaders and pins workforce woes on others. It’s not us; it’s them.

If every worker were intrinsically motivated, leadership would be obsolete. We’d merely require managers to coordinate tasks.

Leadership’s essence is making work purposeful to fuel exceptional effort. This is how organizations outcompete rivals.

There are winners and losers in the labor crisis, and the winners connect workers with meaning. Meaning ignites creativity and unlocks our potential to be proactive.

Why should work be meaningful? What the metrics say:

A McKinsey study reveals that performance skyrockets by 33% when work is meaningful, commitment leaps by 75%, and turnover plunges by 49%.

Over three decades, Americans have prioritized meaningful work over income, job security, and work hours.

Yet only 50% of workers find their work meaningful.

5 ways to connect work with meaning?

One universally acclaimed strategy: reveal the impact across these five dimensions:

Society: In construction, projects inherently hold purpose. Regularly share the human impact.

Company: Let workers see their value creation — correlate safety, quality, and production with profitability.

Customers: Spotlight customer praise and referrals.

Team: Highlight the interdependence of team members.

Personal: Recognize and reward excellence.

Elite site leaders excel at this. They dedicate time to communicate the impact. But even the best say this is hard to do consistently.

Enter Crewscope. Join us in shaping meaningful work and unlocking crew potential. We are recognized as one of the Top 25 innovators in the industry.