Finding meaning in one's daily missions is a growing expectation on the part of employees and a powerful lever for commitment. How can managers contribute to making their teams' work more meaningful? Research shows that they have every interest in drawing on the reactions of the people directly concerned by this work: customers, colleagues, partners, etc. Allowing employees to see the tangible effects of their work greatly fuels their commitment, more so than explaining to them why it is useful to invest themselves in this or that mission or objective. Indeed, psychologists have documented that this responds to the deep-seated need to feel that our actions have a positive impact on those around us. Here are some practices that will enable you to activate this lever:

- Create opportunities for direct exchanges between the employee and their interlocutors around questions such as: “In what ways does my work have an effect on your activity?”; “In what ways does it help you to achieve your own objectives?”

- Encourage your employees to express their gratitude to one another as soon as an opportunity arises.

- Systematically collect and disseminate testimonials that offer feedback on your employees' work, even those that may seem anecdotal.

Source: The Simple Way to Inspire Your Team, David Burkus, TEDxReno, May 2023.