The hunt for purpose: Does your work feel meaningful?

'Retention'. It's the current buzzword in the HR world, as organisations compete to hire and retain the best talent to improve competitiveness in the market. However, with a rise in employee burnout, employee engagement is spiralling, and motivation is dropping. Last month, at CIPD Scotland, I attended a keynote by Jess Payne, Director of Social Value at Compass One, who offered an agreeable exploration about how 'Leading with Purpose' is a successful retention strategy.

I found myself nodding along as her points aligned with frameworks we use internally - we just frame them under 'culture'. The common misconception we find is that HR teams often measure employee engagement; however, if they want a true picture of how their employees feel, they should be measuring 'employee motivation'. Payne's bottom line was that if employees feel they have a purpose, it offers meaning, which translates into engagement, and in turn, retention - and we'd say that motivation would sit in there too.

The challenge? People don't believe that an organisation's purpose aligns with the everyday actions that are encouraged and rewarded. Those in the room were shocked when Payne revealed that only 39% of employees surveyed believe purpose aligns with day-to-day action; however, this is a pattern we continue to see with culture work. The overall vision and strategy set out by leaders doesn't align with the day-to-day behaviours and environment that people experience.

The need for purpose within organisations

The demand from the new working generation

The phrase 'preparing for Gen Z and Gen Alpha' workforce is on the agenda at many events - and the stats show that the generations are re-writing what they value in their job, with a sense of 'purpose' being one of them. However, I'd argue this isn't an issue for the 'near future' that we need to prepare for. The eldest of Generation Z are touching 30, and as of late 2025/early 2026, over 4.3 million Gen Z individuals are employed in the UK - a chunk of which will have already climbed the ladder to line management or higher. If organisations want the best talent, they need to invest to react now.

Improving alignment & prioritisation

Not only does purpose offer meaning, but it also helps alignment and prioritisation - when you're all making decisions based on whether it fits with the 'purpose' of your organisation, decision-making gets easier, and friction should be removed from the process, increasing performance.

Payne spoke about purpose as the 'north star,' something we also refer to when speaking about culture alignment. A clear sky and a sky full of stars can cause confusion, misalignment, and friction amongst employees, but by adding a north star that shines brighter than the rest, you can lead everyone in the same direction.

Elevated retention levels

Payne explained engagement as a by-product of work that is interpreted as meaningful and purpose-driven, and when engagement is high, retention levels rise. Purpose defines why employees show up - and if they feel they're contributing to the work, we'd argue that not only will they want to stay in the organisation, they're more likely to buy into new ideas and transformation, creating a high-performing and resilient workforce.

How to embed purpose into your culture

While purpose may be defined by your leaders, it has to be experienced at every level of your organisation. It should be reinforced by everyday behaviours, your systems, and the symbolisation through leadership decisions. Some examples that Jess Payne shared include:

• Building purpose into your recognition & rewards system (e.g. recognising ethical choices, thoughtful decisions)

• Touch base with employees to understand how they feel their adding purpose (through pulse surveys or 1:1s)

• Offer resources & training to help managers identify and manage purpose misalignment

  
  

We'd also recommend ensuring leaders also model the intended purpose through their own behaviours, and make decisions with the organisation's purpose in mind, to avoid undermining what they've set out to do.

Purpose is proven in the everyday

If retention really is the outcome organisations are chasing, then purpose can’t remain a line in a strategy deck. It has to show up in how decisions are made, how people are recognised, and how leaders behave when trade‑offs get uncomfortable. When purpose is consistently experienced, and not just communicated, it creates meaning, fuels motivation, and gives people a reason to stay. And at a time when talent has more choice than ever, that alignment might be one of the most practical advantages organisations can build.