Over the past year, I’ve spent a lot of time talking with executives about employee engagement and how that translates into highly effective teams and exceptional organizations. One theme has surfaced repeatedly: meaningful work.

People want more than a paycheck. They want purpose, and they want to know their effort matters. Fulfilling work provides a jolt of energy that inspires employees. According to Gallup research, individuals who find their work meaningful are five times more engaged, less likely to report burnout, and 27% more loyal. McKinsey found that meaningful work makes employees 33% more productive and 75% more committed to their employer.

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The data might be clear, but implementation is still challenging.

Executives know meaningful work drives performance. What they struggle with is this: How do you create meaning across different roles, personalities, and life stages—without derailing the pace of the business?

 The answer is deceptively simple. Strong, trusted relationships.

 But that’s where the pushback begins.

“How do I make time for that?” leaders ask. “With everything on my plate, how can I slow down for more conversations?”

Here’s what I’ve learned: You don’t create meaningful work through overnight leadership transformation. You create it through consistent, intentional behavior that others replicate.

When you lead by example, the culture follows.

As Bob Batchelor, award-winning author and cultural historian, puts it, “Meaningful work goes beyond employee engagement. It's a different level. The foundation of meaningful work begins with psychological safety and inclusive leadership. Those two concepts undergird everything, including the workplace environment and the way your culture operates.”

Psychological safety removes the fear that silences employees. When people believe they can ask questions, challenge assumptions, or admit mistakes without embarrassment or retaliation, they are far more likely to share ideas and surface risks early. Inclusive leadership reinforces that safety by demonstrating respect for different perspectives, inviting input across levels, and responding to feedback with curiosity instead of defensiveness. Over time, those behaviors build trust. And trust is what allows people to bring their full effort and creativity to work.

Together, psychological safety and inclusive leadership create an environment where employees feel valued, heard, and connected to something larger than themselves—where meaningful work can take root and grow.

How leaders can maximize meaning  

Here’s the practical “cheat code” to meaningful work: understand how your team wants to be led —and create opportunities that energize them. Knowing who your employees are, their personal priorities and their professional objectives is the only way to foster meaningful work.

That starts with slowing down.

Most executives operate in sound bites. We pride ourselves on speed and decisiveness. But meaningful conversations don’t happen in rapid-fire exchanges. People need space to unpack their thinking. They need time to explain what motivates them, what frustrates them, and what kind of growth they’re seeking.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned as a leader is this: I have to slow down the conversation to speed up what I learn.

When I take the time to understand someone’s preferred communication style, how they receive feedback and how they contribute ideas, the return on that investment compounds. My relationships with clients, colleagues, board members, and team members become stronger and more productive.

Slowing down isn’t inefficiency; it’s strategy.

From there, personalization becomes possible.

There is no universal leadership style that motivates everyone. If you don’t understand someone’s relationship with work, you can’t effectively lead them.

In addition, a person’s concept of meaningful work evolves throughout their career.

Early-career professionals may prioritize growth and learning. Mid-career professionals often seek impact and recognition. Later in their careers, legacy and contribution rise in importance. Meaning also shifts with life circumstances—young parents have different needs than employees caring for aging parents.

That’s why leadership cannot be one-size-fits-all.

“Leaders need to create an environment where people feel valued and connected to that larger mission,” says Jackie Ferguson, vice president of content, programming and products at The Diversity Movement, a Workplace Options company. “But employees also have a role—ensuring that they're speaking up to say what they enjoy working on, what they're excited about, and when they want those stretch projects.”

Engagement is a partnership.

Leaders create the environment. Employees contribute their voice. Together, meaning becomes actionable.

Connect the Business “Why” to the Personal “Why”

Many leaders assume meaning comes from the company mission or job description. Those matter —but they aren’t enough. If employees can’t see how their work connects to their own goals, values, and life stage, the mission statement remains abstract.

“Meaning isn't just about prestige roles. Every job has impact, and it's the leader's responsibility to connect the dots so that every employee sees the value in what they do,” Ferguson explains.

That connection requires conversation. It requires context. It requires leadership that treats people as individuals, not their job titles.

And here’s why it matters.

Meaning fuels discretionary effort: That extra attention to detail. That willingness to learn something new. That instinct to help a colleague without being asked.

These behaviors separate average teams from exceptional ones. They separate companies that merely survive from companies that outperform year over year.

Busy CEOs often believe they can’t afford to slow down for relationships. In reality, they can’t afford not to.

When leaders invest in trust, psychological safety, and personalized growth, meaningful work becomes part of the operating system. Engagement rises, and performance follows.

I explore this idea in depth in my new book, The Employee Engagement Handbook: A Leader’s Guide to People, Purpose, and Performance. If you want to build an organization where meaningful work drives discretionary effort—and relationships fuel results—this framework will help you move from theory to execution.

Because in the end, meaningful work isn’t created by mission statements.

It’s created by leaders who slow down long enough to build relationships that matter — and organizations that win because of it.

About the Author

Donald Thompson is an award-winning CEO and multi-exit entrepreneur, honored as EY Entrepreneur of the Year, named to Forbes Next 1000, and a 3x Inc. 5000 Chief Executive. His expertise, credibility and results-driven approach have made him a sought-after speaker on innovation, culture and growth. Thompson is the author of Underestimated: A CEO’s Unlikely Path to Success and The Inclusive Leadership Handbook: Balancing People and Performance for Sustainable Growth. He hosts the globally recognized podcast “High Octane Leadership” and has published widely on leadership and the executive mindset. Stay up to date with Thompson’s latest news, events and podcast by following him on LinkedIn and Substack. Interested in executive coaching, speaking engagements or leadership development? Get in touch at info@donaldthompson.com.