How purpose makes people happier and pays off

Engaged employees: we want to have them and we want to be them. But how do you become engaged, and perhaps more importantly, how do you stay engaged? Purpose is one of the answers to that question. Berd Warmelts explains what purpose means and what it gives you.

"Purpose means 'goal', but one in the 'big and hairy' category," Berd laughs. "So a higher goal, one you can work on your whole life. For Coolblue, it is 'Anything for a smile'." Coolblue "A promise like that to your customers, contacts and clients gives direction, in both the short and the long term. From it you can derive, for example, how customer service speaks to people and how much you invest in product development."

In love with your brand

A purpose also gives your organisation a face, one that others can easily identify with. "It is a shared mission to make your target group fall in love with your brand. That pays off in customer satisfaction, loyalty from customers and employees, less absenteeism and more sales."

That love is more than a feeling; it also shows up in hard figures. In a large meta-analysis, Gallup compared the teams with the highest and the lowest engagement. The most engaged teams were 23% more profitable, 18% more productive in sales and had 81% less absenteeism. Gallup

Purpose gives energy

Coolblue manages to make both customers and employees fall in love with the brand. By making others smile as much as possible, the company gives its people meaning. "People, and especially younger generations, are increasingly looking for meaning in their lives, and so also in their work," Berd explains. "It gives energy and creates the mental resilience to keep going, even when things get tough. Do you want intrinsically motivated and dedicated employees? Then make sure they can contribute to a challenging higher goal."

That fits with self-determination theory: people are most motivated from within when their work matches what they themselves find important. Self-Determination Theory You can read more about Coolblue in engaged entrepreneurs: Pieter Zwart of Coolblue.

In practice

Many large organisations do have a purpose or a mission with core values. "Yet they are not always lived," says Berd. "Perhaps at organisational level, but not at team level. That is why it is good to challenge teams to translate the organisation's purpose for themselves. What do you as a team want to contribute to the organisation? Or the other way round: what would happen if your team no longer existed? Once that is clear, you know again what you go to work for every day. Then you can hold each other to account when things don't go as agreed, and celebrate successes together."

Three important ingredients

A catchy purpose that gets others moving radiates usefulness, focus and joy. "If all is well, your service or product is always about someone else. What can you do for him or her? And how are you going to keep that promise? If you manage to put that into words and images with the right energy, it ultimately results in happy employees, and more," says Berd. "Carry your purpose through in everything you do as much as possible. From purchasing to business cards, or perhaps leaving out business cards altogether. However you shape your purpose: do it consistently, and with a smile."