Not long ago, I was speaking with someone who had been feeling stretched and tired at work. When I asked what had genuinely lifted their spirits recently, they paused, then said, “Someone thanked me… properly. Not in a scripted way, just a simple ‘You really helped me today.’ I didn’t realise how much I needed that.”
It struck me how small that moment was and how deeply it mattered. No wellbeing programme. No new perk. Just the feeling of being seen.
We often assume workplace wellbeing needs to be delivered through big initiatives, but the truth is far simpler. People want to feel that their work has meaning. They want to feel useful, valued, and trusted. They want to belong somewhere.
Across wellbeing research, this aligns with what psychologists have been saying for years. Purpose is one of the strongest foundations of wellbeing. It appears repeatedly in theories such as Ryff’s model of Psychological Wellbeing, which highlights purpose in life, autonomy, and personal growth as central to feeling fulfilled. Self Determination Theory also shows that people thrive when three basic needs are met: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Purpose sits at the heart of all three.
It gives work shape, direction, and meaning. It supports motivation and resilience. It helps people feel confident in who they are and the contribution they make.
Across my work with organisations, volunteers, teams, and veterans, I see the same pattern. When people understand why their work matters, everything becomes steadier. When they cannot see purpose, the smallest tasks can feel draining.
Workplace wellbeing begins with purpose. Always.
Purpose helps us through difficult days
Most people do not need their jobs to be easy. They need them to feel meaningful.
Think about a day when you went home tired but satisfied. What made it feel that way? Chances are, it was not because the day was effortless. It was because the work felt worthwhile.
Research supports this. Studies in both occupational psychology and wellbeing science show that purpose and autonomy reduce the negative impact of stress. When people understand the “why” behind their work, setbacks feel like part of a bigger story rather than a personal failure.
Purpose does not remove challenge. It gives challenge context. And that context is what gets people through.
Feeling useful is a powerful human need
One of the most overlooked drivers of wellbeing is the feeling of being useful.
This is not about job titles. It is not about promotions. It is about knowing that your presence makes a difference.
In Self Determination Theory, this is tied to competence, the feeling that you can contribute something meaningful and that your actions have value. Purpose strengthens this feeling of competence, which in turn supports motivation.
I have seen this in countless settings. A volunteer who starts the week quietly on the edges of a group and ends it teaching others what they have learned. A team member who has been unsure of themselves, suddenly coming alive when trusted with a new responsibility. A veteran rediscovering confidence through purposeful activity.
The shift comes from the same place. They feel useful again.
Feeling useful strengthens identity. It builds confidence. It increases motivation. And it is one of the clearest indicators of long-term wellbeing.
Growth gives people momentum and hope
People rarely burn out because they are learning. They burn out because they feel stuck.
Personal growth appears across multiple wellbeing theories as a key driver of fulfilment. Ryff describes it as a lifelong process of developing potential. Growth gives us momentum, and momentum creates hope, which is another strong predictor of wellbeing.
Growth does not have to mean climbing a ladder. It can be:
• being trusted with a new task
• discovering a skill you enjoy
• seeing your contribution recognised
• having space to take ownership
• being listened to when you offer an idea
Without growth, even good jobs can become repetitive. With growth, work becomes a place where people feel they are moving forward.
Purpose is something we create together
We often tell people to “find meaning” in their work, but purpose is not discovered in isolation. It is shaped socially, through culture, communication, and relationships.
Social identity theory shows that people derive part of their identity and sense of self from the groups they belong to. Purpose strengthens that identity and enhances belonging. In teams where the shared purpose is clear, people collaborate more easily and handle pressure more effectively.
Teams with shared purpose feel noticeably different. You can sense it in the way people speak to each other, solve problems, and support one another. There is more openness, more curiosity, and a stronger willingness to help.
Purpose turns individuals into a team. And strong teams protect the wellbeing of everyone within them.
Leaders shape purpose more than they realise
Supporting purpose does not require a wellbeing budget. It requires human leadership.
Even the smallest actions have significant impact. Leadership research consistently shows that meaningful work, autonomy, and recognition are among the strongest predictors of employee wellbeing and engagement.
As leaders, we can get better at:
• explaining why the work matters rather than assuming people already know
• involving people in decisions that affect them
• trusting staff with responsibility instead of micromanaging
• recognising meaningful work, especially the quiet work that is easily missed
• encouraging learning without punishing mistakes
• holding check-ins that feel like conversations, not assessments
These actions build trust and clarity. Trust allows people to relax into their work. Clarity helps them stay focused. Together, they create conditions where wellbeing grows naturally.
Purpose helps people thrive, not just cope
Most people do not come to work expecting perfection. They come hoping to feel valued. To be respected. To have clarity. To know that what they do matters.
Purpose offers all of these things. It supports identity, belonging, confidence, and hope. It helps people move through tough days with resilience. It strengthens teams and creates workplaces where people feel they can be themselves.
When organisations put purpose first, wellbeing is no longer an add-on or a programme. It becomes part of the everyday fabric of work. People do not just perform better. They feel better. They grow. They connect. They thrive.
Purpose is not a luxury. It is the foundation of a healthy workplace.
And once organisations understand that everything changes.
© Harvey Mills
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