{"id":11028,"date":"2021-09-01T12:26:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-01T16:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/?p=11028"},"modified":"2022-07-28T14:37:42","modified_gmt":"2022-07-28T18:37:42","slug":"energizing-your-employees-through-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/insights\/energizing-your-employees-through-purpose\/","title":{"rendered":"Energizing Your Employees Through Purpose"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"block-hero alignfull  has-breadcrumb\">\n    <div class=\"outerwrap\">\n        <div class=\"wrapper\">\n            <div class=\"copy\">\n\n                                    <ul>\n                        <!-- Breadcrumb NavXT 7.0.2 -->\n<li><a property=\"item\" typeof=\"WebPage\" title=\"Go to Insights.\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/insights\/\" class=\"post post-page\" aria-current=\"page\"><span property=\"name\">Insights<\/span><\/a><meta property=\"position\" content=\"1\"><\/li>                    <\/ul>\n                \n                                    <h1>Future Ready Leaders: Energizing Your Employees Through Purpose<\/h1>\n                \n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"block-insights-detail no-intro\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"meta\">\r\n\t\t<p class=\"date\">September 1, 2021<\/p>\r\n\t\t<p class=\"type\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/insights\/#\/type\/capabilities\">Capabilities<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/insights\/#\/type\/team-effectiveness\">Team Effectiveness<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/insights\/#\/type\/insights\">Insights<\/a><\/p>\t\t<p class=\"author\">Authors:<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/consultant\/christine-greybe\/\">Christine Greybe<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\"><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Two executives share how cultivating a purpose-driven company attracts passionate workers who become innovative leaders.<\/h2>\n<p>In today\u2019s world, every purchase is more than just a transaction\u2014it\u2019s also an endorsement of principles. Consumers are showing a growing interest in values such as safety, equity, and sustainability, and they\u2019re paying attention to whether the aims and impacts of the companies they buy from align with their beliefs. The same goes for employees; increasingly, workers are seeking out organizations that promote causes for which they share a passion.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe role of business in society is undoubtedly shifting, and companies are facing unprecedented market forces they cannot ignore in the wake of the pandemic,\u201d Kwasi Mitchell, Chief Purpose Officer for Deloitte, wrote in a column for <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/sponsored\/2021\/04\/3-ways-companies-can-embed-purpose-into-their-organizations\">Harvard Business Review<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe see ample evidence in the market that when purpose is integrated with core business operations,\u201d Mitchell added, \u201cit generates significant value for the business, clients, and stakeholders.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Less than half of employees say they feel connected to their company\u2019s purpose and that the business\u2019s purpose drives its actions, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/business-functions\/people-and-organizational-performance\/our-insights\/purpose-not-platitudes-a-personal-challenge-for-top-executives\">McKinsey &amp; Company survey<\/a>. Yet the survey showed there are significant rewards for building a culture that cultivates engaged, purposeful employees.<\/p>\n<p>When a company states their purpose\u2014and follows through on it with action\u2014workers are more dedicated to both their role and the business. About 87% said they planned to stay with their company, while 77% said they feel engaged in their work. On the other hand, for employees who reported both a company-wide and personal disconnect from the business\u2019s purpose, those numbers were only 41% and 20%. Not what any employer wants to hear.<\/p>\n<p>Companies that lean into their principles also attract a more committed customer base. In a Porter Novelli survey, <sup>&nbsp;<\/sup>consumers shared they were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.porternovelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Porter-Novelli-Purpose-Perception-Implicit-Association-Study.pdf\">76% more likely to trust a purpose-driven company<\/a> and 72% more likely to forgive that company if it made a mistake.<\/p>\n<p>To help you pursue your company\u2019s principles in a way that will benefit both you and your employees, DHR International\u2019s Future Ready Leaders series spoke with two top executives about how organizational purpose has helped them draw in dedicated team members and develop them into passionate, effective leaders.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Share Your Values with Candidates Right from the Start<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>How can a company ensure that its employees share its leaders\u2019 vision and goals? The process starts at the recruitment stage, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/everettharper\/\">Everett Harper<\/a>, CEO &amp; Founder of Truss, says. If your company presents its values upfront unabashedly, it will attract potential employees who hold them as well.&nbsp;<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-11040 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Everett-Harper-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"146\" height=\"146\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Everett-Harper-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Everett-Harper-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Everett-Harper-250x250.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Everett-Harper-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Everett-Harper-320x320.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Everett-Harper-370x370.jpg 370w, https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Everett-Harper.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 146px) 100vw, 146px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Harper says his company\u2019s leaders knew that if they recruited team members who were passionate about its purpose, \u201ca culture would develop around it, and that people would self-perpetuate. So for example, new employees who come in, even before they sort of hit the recruiting section of our business, see those values and either those values attract and, sometimes even more importantly, repel the wrong people, the wrong fit for the company. And that&#8217;s more efficient from the perspective of recruiting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a fairly simple\u2014yet reliable\u2014explanation: people gravitate toward companies that will allow them to embrace the values and goals they already hold and can feel energized by. Not only will highlighting your organizational purpose help draw in compatible employees, it can enhance their commitment to your company, too.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Develop Confident, Loyal Employees <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>At the same time, a purpose is only as effective as an organization\u2019s understanding of it. Leaders can and should help employees recognize their place in pursuing their company\u2019s objectives and how those objectives relate to each other. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/bruce-hoechner-60848414\/\">Bruce Hoechner<\/a>, President &amp; CEO of Rogers Corporation, says the company has four \u201cmust-do\u201d results, or near-term targets. The first is to keep employees safe, a goal which he notes<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-11039 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Bruce-Hoechner.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"146\" height=\"146\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Bruce-Hoechner.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Bruce-Hoechner-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Bruce-Hoechner-250x250.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Bruce-Hoechner-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Bruce-Hoechner-370x370.jpg 370w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 146px) 100vw, 146px\" \/> naturally flows into the second, which is to build customer loyalty: \u201cOur belief is that when our employees are happy and feel satisfied and feel supported, they can then go out and support our customers to the best of their ability, the best of the company&#8217;s ability, and we think that works quite well,\u201d Hoechner explains.<\/p>\n<p>Loyal customers, Hoechner continues, are critical to Rogers Corporation\u2019s third and fourth foundational objectives: driving growth and pursuing profitability. But whatever your organization\u2019s pursuits may be, they should start with employees. It\u2019s your leadership team\u2019s responsibility to ensure employees feel cared for, know what the company\u2019s purposes are, and understand their role in those goals.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you ask any employee,\u201d Hoechner adds, \u201cthey&#8217;ll know what are the priorities that we have and say, \u2018here they are, and here&#8217;s my part of those priorities.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Cultivate Purpose-Driven Leaders<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Your company\u2019s purpose should be like a North Star, allowing your leaders to refer to it as they navigate even the most treacherous waters. Hoechner explains that developing a purpose-driven culture allowed the company to respond effectively to uncertain situations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe decided that our philosophical approach to things as a company\u2014or our must-do results and our cultural behaviors\u2014would drive our decision-making,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd once we put it through that filter of things like, \u2018live safely,\u2019 the decisions were relatively easy to make. And I think that has filtered down through the organization where people understand our purpose, our focus, and what&#8217;s important to us as a company.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Harper agrees with that sentiment. Employees who have been grounded in their business\u2019s core values, he says, will naturally draw from them when faced with an unfamiliar scenario, adding to their experience and enhancing their trust in the company\u2019s principles.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe wanted our values not to be like an IBM poster, but something that people could live and could act upon on a daily basis,\u201d he says. \u201cOur employees encounter new things all the time. And so the values are a way for people to say, \u2018I don&#8217;t know what to do here specifically, but I have a set of values and practices, that if I follow them, will lead me to the right answer.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As your employees learn to turn to your organization\u2019s ideals for guidance, they\u2019ll build a deeper appreciation for those values, understanding them as crucial standards for decision-making. And as your workers fully realize the importance of your company\u2019s pursuits, they\u2019ll be more willing and able to lead their newer peers to do the same.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Commitment to Purpose Benefits Your Company and Your Employees<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Your company\u2019s purpose is more than a few catchy slogans or a clever acronym\u2014it\u2019s both a set of guiding principles and the greater objective toward which all your other goals aim. By embracing your purpose at every level of your organization, you can draw in candidates who are looking not just for a job, but also an organization that shares and empowers their values.<\/p>\n<p>As employees, they\u2019ll show themselves to be among the most engaged team members, naturally responding to challenges with a flexibility and drive that best represents your company. Their work will galvanize their fellow employees and discerning consumers, driving the retention and revenue that can propel your business to the next level.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:33px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"block-testimonial has-dark-blue-background-color alignfull alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"maybe-wrapper\">\n        \n\n<h2 class=\"has-yellow-color has-text-color\" id=\"with-jobplex-you-are-in-great-company-1\">We advise clients on their most <br>important leadership &amp; talent management challenges.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>The&nbsp;<a href=\"\/services\/leadership-consulting\/\">DHR Leadership Consulting<\/a>&nbsp;team includes professionals who specialize in Board Evaluation, Executive Assessment, Executive Coaching, High-Potential Identification, Onboarding, Succession Planning, and Team Effectiveness.<\/p><p>We combine unmatched industry expertise with highly sophisticated, data-driven assessment tools to provide actionable results. Rather than create lengthy reports that sit on bookshelves and collect dust, we focus on interpreting the data and helping you make fast and accurate decisions about your talent. At every step of the process, we work as an extension of your team. We help you cut through the clutter, focus on the most important leadership attributes, skills, and behaviors, and gain alignment about what matters most.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Workers are seeking out organizations that promote causes for which they share a passion. Two executives share how cultivating a purpose-driven company attracts passionate workers who become innovative leaders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":11066,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[20,1,22],"tags":[63,48,46,45,44,43,101],"insights_type":[41],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11028"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11028"}],"version-history":[{"count":39,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11028\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13597,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11028\/revisions\/13597"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11066"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11028"},{"taxonomy":"insights_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dhrglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insights_type?post=11028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}