A leading academic says employees are at their most productive when they can clearly see the greater purpose of their role
A leading academic has called on employers to deliver greater workplace purpose to their employees, saying it drives not only engagement but also productivity.
“An employee that understands the organisation’s goals is more likely to enjoy coming to work which will lead to a positive workforce and organisational brand,” said Dr Lindsay McMillan.
“If employees know how their role fits into the broader organisational objectives, they will be happier and more productive,” he continued. “An employee that does not understand how they are contributing to a broader goal is more likely to be disengaged and unhappy in their job.”
McMillan – who is widely considered a thought leader in the field of HR – said many employers recognise the importance of organisational purpose but fail to follow through.
“It may sound like a basic step but it is surprising how often business leaders take this for granted, especially when the results are extremely beneficial,” he said.
In order to create a workplace where employees are happy and engaged, McMillan said a number of principles must be adopted.
“We should be ensuring workplaces prioritise inclusion, staff development, teamwork and positive and constructive feedback to ensure the future workplace is founded on good principles.”
