You have probably heard the story about the janitor, who when asked what he was doing for NASA proudly replied, “I’m helping put a man on the moon.” While this story sparks almost as much debate about being true or false as the moon landing itself, the moral of it is irrefutable and blatantly obvious, or at least it should be in our line of work. Having purpose and belonging in the workplace makes a huge difference and yields results.
I know what you’re thinking — this isn’t a new take, nor even a hot one. The NASA story dates back nearly 65 years now, and before that, Aristotle argued that humans flourish through purpose and community. This concept isn’t truly groundbreaking, so why am I focusing on something we all ought to know by now?
My angle is the “now more than ever” part — in these times of uncertainty (do you put a loonie in a jar every time someone mentions “uncertainty / unprecedented times / ambiguity?), all we have is each other, the communities we build, and the common purpose we serve that should also serve us.
Purpose and belonging are not new workplace concepts — they are fundamental human needs that have always shaped how people experience work. Gallup’s research shows that employees become engaged when they have the opportunity to contribute, feel a sense of belonging, and can connect their work to a larger purpose. Employees who understand how their role contributes to the organization’s mission report higher levels of both wellbeing and engagement.
And who is responsible for bringing purpose to life in organizations? This isn’t a trick question. Leadership, of course— it all comes back and ties into leadership. When leaders provide clarity, meaningful feedback, and connect individual work to broader organizational objectives, employees gain a stronger sense of purpose and belonging.
Similarly, effective communication helps employees understand the “why” behind change, reducing uncertainty (add a loonie to the jar) and strengthening alignment.
As for us, HR professionals, the implication is clear: purpose and belonging should be present in everything we do all the time. Yes, I know that we send more emails per day than we experience genuine human interactions, and I know that the budget isn’t made of rubber. But I stand by this broad statement and ask that you keep it in the back of your mind and remind leaders to consistently connect individual roles to organizational goals, provide regular feedback that reinforces impact and communicate the “why” behind decisions and change.
Encourage leaders to discuss purpose during one-on-ones, celebrate contributions that advance organizational goals, involve employees in decisions that affect their work, and make space for meaningful connection across teams.
In times of change (or in other words “all the time these days” and for those of you counting, that’s another loonie to the jar), focus communications not only on what is changing, but also on why it matters. Purpose creates direction, belonging creates connection, and together they create the conditions for engagement to thrive.
Let me leave you with a classic HR approach: The Situation is that employee engagement is directly linked to purpose and belonging. The Task for leaders is to help employees understand why their work matters and where they fit. The Actions are straightforward: connect roles to organizational purpose, explain the “why” behind decisions, recognize meaningful contributions, and create opportunities for employees to be heard. The Result will be a workforce that is more engaged, more resilient, and more likely to thrive.
In short, if purpose creates direction and belonging creates connection, leaders must make both visible every day.
