Meaning creates happy, hardworking and committed employees

Modern organizations are stifling the skills and enthusiasm of their workers. Instead of providing meaning, they prevent it. Businesses are risking failure by being unable and unwilling to tap into what inspires and motivates people and create meaning in the workplace.

Meaning Inc shows how organizations can provide meaning for their people through a clearly understood sense of purpose, unequivocal values and day-to-day leadership. After all, we spend up to one

third of our waking lives at work so ensuring that this time is effective, productive and enjoyable is important for employers, employees and customers. The book outlines the blueprint for business success.

Interviews conducted by corporate psychologists, YSC, with over 10,000 workers in the last five years show that people do not just want to work in a business that is successful; they want to feel they are engaged in something worthwhile and that they can make a difference.

Meaning Inc is about achieving happiness, motivation and performance at work for employees. Well-motivated people who are happy with their work and where they work are more likely to deliver high performance. People who work for organizations whose purpose they believe in are more likely to go the extra mile to help achieve that purpose.

In Meaning Inc Gurnek Bains argues that when you talk to leaders and employees there are distinct layers of attitudes. ‘On the surface people demonstrate ‘good citizen’ type beliefs, but dig a bit deeper and they are more critical of what they see around them. They don’t buy everything they hear and are weary of management fads. They become cynical. However, explore a deeper layer and you find that they do care about work deeply and want issues that concern them to be tackled. This is what successful businesses are tapping into.’

Meaning Inc provides guidelines and practical examples to help businesses move their culture to one that can achieve exceptional success. It asks leaders and managers some searching questions:

• Is your company focused on achieving positive change in society as opposed to just servicing its needs?
• Are your leaders principally focused on creating the conditions for others to flourish?
• Are you company’s values inspiring or are they simply a list that no one pays attention to?
• Are you sure that, underneath the veneer of good corporate citizenship, your people are genuinely engaged in their work?
• Is your external image a source of pride for your people?
• Are you confident that your business can continue to attract talent in tomorrow’s world?
• Do you make your employees feel special in any way?

If an organization can answer 'yes' to these questions then perhaps they may not need this book. But if they can’t they are unlikely to flourish in the competitive and challenging 21st century.

Companies that have been involved in the research and production of the book include Goldman Sachs, AOL, Diageo, Sainsbury’s, Starbucks, Cadbury Schweppes, Whitbread and RBS.

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