Alexandra Gojowy

Work with Purpose

Slaves of the modern age. That's what philosopher Richard David Precht calls all the people who make it easier for the creative industry to be creative, while they themselves sit on their bicycles or in their vans at minimum wage in all weathers. We recognise them by the oversized, square backpacks with which they bring start-ups their lunch, deliver ingredients for dinner or drop off the forgotten chip bag at the front door in ten minutes. The fact is: in order for the lives of some, moderately to very successful, professionals to remain in flow, these people are needed. At the same time, the term "purpose" is becoming increasingly important for many companies. Those who cannot promise their employees a higher purpose or sell a product that does not improve the world will have a harder time winning over future generations.

Some professions can afford to ask the question of meaning. Other people cannot choose their job based on whether it serves a higher purpose. Precht asks an interesting question in his conversation with Markus Lanz: What if employees of delivery services also want to ask themselves the question of meaning? Of course, this discussion is not a black and white one. Many people love variety and being on the road; for them, an office job would be a horror. However, the fact that bicycle couriers suffer from poor working conditions was recently shown by the example of the delivery service Gorillas. The employees recently protested against fixed-term contracts, as well as poor rostering and equipment. In November 2021, a works council was finally appointed to stand up for the workers. A good example that hopefully many will follow.

But what do the workers of tomorrow want? A look at the work philosophy shows how important Purpose really is.

Purpose: The wage of tomorrow

Generation Z represents employees between the ages of 18 and 29. According to a survey by the personnel service provider Randstad and Mentefactum, 72% of the respondents want to pursue meaningful work. This trend is influenced above all by the sustainability movement. The "purpose factor" therefore counts not only when deciding on the means of transport or clothing, but also when choosing an employer.

It is also interesting that Generation Z considers materialistic prosperity important and at the same time wants to make a positive contribution to the environment. Since there are still too few sustainable companies, it remains to be seen to what extent these two points are compatible.

Less romantic than "work with meaning" sounds the opinion of the organisation researcher Hans Rusinek. He says that it is actually a phenomenon that already emerged during the hippie movement. Companies suggested to their employees that it was important to realise oneself, to develop passions and to pursue ideals. Behind this, then as now, is the secret desire to motivate the workforce and make them more productive. "When employees are motivated, it is a huge competitive advantage and clearly in the interest of a company's stakeholders," Rusinek says in an article in Human Resources Manager.

In addition, fewer and fewer people feel connected to a higher purpose through religion. So the focus is increasingly on the job and corresponding expectations are placed on the workplace. But the chart above shows something else: a very high demand on what one wants to give and hopes to get out of one's work. That's a lot of pressure, especially if you're a young professional.

Relaxed to be destined

According to a consumer survey by Columbia Business School, 87% of participants believe that companies should provide value to society. For employees, of course, that means sharing in that mission. Career consultant Philip Apke says that the personal purposewish is thus appointed a "socially sustainable world improvement mission" - which can become a big burden. His tip: focus first on one part of the Purpose Pyramid, namely creating value. If you create value for others; a simple benefit for your fellow human beings or customers, you are already living your Purpose! This definition radically takes away all the big social-missionary PurposeDRUCK and still clarifies the servant nature of a life of Purpose," Apke said in an article for GoodJobs.

As a company dedicated to mindfulness, we at 7Mind have our own perspective. For us, mindfulness means cultivating a reflective approach to our own thoughts, feelings, but also attitudes and privileges. Engaging with the topic of mindfulness can feel very meaningful. However, it precedes the actual Purpose. During mindfulness practice we first get to know ourselves, we recognise our values, what is important to us, what we need to live and work healthily. It can always be trained, no matter what the profession.

As we showed at the beginning, it is not natural to ask ourselves the Purpose question in our jobs. And all too often we take a certain "work-life style" for granted, but it is supported by other professions. Here, everyone can ask themselves whether Purpose should only serve the individual or whether it is not a community project after all. Mindfulness cannot answer that. But it can always be a tool to arrive at oneself, to take a deep breath and to take all the big and small questions of meaning less seriously for a short moment.