Summary
We often try to increase motivation by helping employees connect with the purpose of their work. But new research suggests that destructive workplace conditions can undermine meaningfulness by frustrating people's basic psychological needs. This episode looks at why improving the work environment can be more effective than simply reminding people why their work is important.
Transcript
Hello and welcome to episode 248 of the Leadership Today podcast, where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we look at why people sometimes lose their sense of purpose at work, even when the work itself is important.
Think about someone who joins an organisation because they genuinely believe in what it does. Perhaps they work in healthcare, education, government or a community organisation. They care about the people they serve and want to make a positive difference. But over time, things change. They become increasingly frustrated, disengaged or disconnected from the work. The organisation's purpose hasn't changed and their work is still just as important. So what's happened?
New research published in the Journal of Managerial Psychology examined how destructive organisational environments influence employees' experiences of meaningful and meaningless work.
The researchers conducted two studies involving more than 2,300 employees in Poland. They found that destructive workplace conditions were associated with greater frustration of employees' basic psychological needs. This, in turn, was associated with people sing their work as less meaningful. Deci and Ryan identified those basic psychological needs as autonomy, competence and relatedness. We want some control over what we do, opportunities to feel effective and capable, and a sense of connection with others. When the work environment consistently frustrates those needs, people may find it harder to experience their work as meaningful.
In our attempts to rebuild motivation, we might remind people of the organisation’s purpose. We talk about the difference their work makes, share success stories or encourage people to reconnect with why they joined in the first place. This approach can be useful, but if the everyday experience of work involves limited autonomy, constant obstacles and poor relationships, a reminder about purpose may not be enough.
Imagine a nurse who genuinely cares about patients but has little control over their workload, struggles to access the resources they need and feels unsupported by colleagues or management.
The importance of the work hasn't disappeared, but the experience of doing that work may be undermining their sense of meaning.
Here are three things I'd suggest to tackle this reduced sense of purpose.
First, look at the everyday conditions of work, not just the organisation's purpose. When people seem disconnected from their work, explore what's making it difficult for them to experience it as worthwhile. Are they frustrated by unnecessary restrictions, unclear expectations or a lack of support? Improving those conditions may do more than another conversation about purpose.
Second, support people's basic psychological needs. Look for opportunities to increase autonomy, help people build confidence and capability, and strengthen working relationships. These don't always require major organisational changes. Sometimes small improvements in how work is organised can make a meaningful difference.
Third, avoid relying on purpose to compensate for poor working conditions. It's reasonable to remind people why their work matters, but don't use that message to dismiss legitimate frustrations. If someone says they're struggling, take the practical difficulties seriously rather than simply encouraging them to focus on the bigger picture.
Bringing all of this together, meaningful work isn't just about having an important purpose, it’s also about the experience of doing the work. So the key question is: "Are we creating conditions that help people experience their work as meaningful, or are we relying on the importance of the work to carry them through?"
Thanks for listening, and I look forward to speaking with you again next week.
Reference
Turek, D., & Okay-Somerville, B. (2026). Meaningful and meaningless work under destructive organisational context. Journal of Managerial Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-03-2026-0270
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