By Charlène Vidoux

No profession is devoid of “meaning” — that is, without value, vision or purpose — whatever social status it may be assigned in the collective imagination. That said, it is still possible to define the notion of “meaning” based on the main lines of what it represents for most employees.

A meaningful job means, among other things, feeling more positive emotions at work, feeling good and useful while carrying out a task that seems crucial. It also means deriving a degree of satisfaction from one’s activities and assignments, fulfilling professional ambitions, making use of one’s skills and feeling part of the company’s broader project.

Many may believe that the search for meaning at work is a key issue for the new generation, and that may well be true. However, it is important to note that millennials place well-being, personal development and self-fulfilment ahead of long-term tenure within a company. This questioning can lead to one conclusion: we often perform tasks at work that are useless and superficial. Are they therefore meaningless? Can one thrive in such conditions? Is it necessary to walk away from everything?

THE SEARCH FOR MEANING: A DEEP DIVE

In recent years, table football, fruit baskets, nap rooms and other stylish or playful workspaces have proliferated across companies in an effort to instil a “start-up spirit” that is more or less appealing to executives. Yet these so-called happiness management techniques do not address the core issue: the meaning people attach to their work.

The search for meaning at work now appears to be a major challenge, because it directly affects companies and their economic performance. Indeed, an employee who no longer sees the usefulness of their work risks suffering from brown-out (disengagement, total loss of motivation), bore-out (fatigue caused by boredom) or, in the worst case, burn-out, in other words, physical and mental exhaustion caused by deteriorating working conditions. By contrast, a happy and motivated employee will fully invest in relationships with clients and colleagues, thereby having a positive impact on the company’s life. We can therefore say that employees’ search for meaning at work increases the company’s attractiveness and employee engagement.

This is why companies must support their employees in their search for meaning at work. This involves, in particular, thoughtful gestures and material improvements in working conditions, such as access to cultural offers, entertainment or financial perks, as well as strengthening human relationships, which is essential. These are all factors that help respond to the search for meaning at work. However, more needs to be done, because the notion of meaningful work reaches its full significance only when it incorporates an overall improvement in working conditions for everyone, and when employees and employers alike both come out ahead.

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