Ashish Kothari breaks down McKinsey research showing 85% of senior executives find their work meaningful, compared to just 15% of frontline workers. Leaders who create meaning at work boost productivity, cut turnover, and earn employee commitment.
When I was at McKinsey, we researched purpose. Even though they say why do I need to find purpose at work? Work plays a big part in meaning making. For many people it becomes a core part of their identities. In our research what we found was 85% of senior executives found what they do as meaningful. Like it connect to their why in meaning. You know that number of 85% dropped to 15% when it came to Frontline. And what I love about meaning and purposes, if we think about this as a core leadership muscle, if you're able to create more meaning into every person who works at your organization, you figured out a way to create meaning. If you do that, you get their heart and mind, not just arms and leg. There's a massive productivity boost. There is a significant lowering and attrition because as you said, people will rather take a job that pays less, that has more meaning or will stick around in a place that has more meaning and invite others.
Reducing Regrettable Attrition in Organizations by Fixing the System, Not the People Reducing Regret
