The Importance of “Why?”

Why do your employees do what they do every day? Though some may think it’s as simple as “for the paycheck” the truth is far more complex. Yes, some employees have been pushed so close to the edge by their work environment, their honest answer to “Why do I go to work everyday?” would be “For the money.”

But I think we can all agree, the goal is to ensure employees never reach that stage. Doing so means understanding the same six questions that matter in nearly every situation – the who, what, where, when, why and how of their work.

Think of it this way. Employees want:

•    Direction on where to go
•    Priorities on what to focus on
•    Deadlines on when to complete those priorities
•    Coaching and training on how to do what needs to be done
•    Customer knowledge on who they’re working for
•    Insight into why this work is important

Out of these six questions, the “Why” is the one that managers cannot control and deliver, but only influence. The “Why” is also the one that inspires employees to truly engage with their work and not just their paycheck.

What are you doing to answer the “Why” for yourself or influence the answer for your team members?

This is the critical question and the answers may be as varied as the number of people on your team. But you’ll likely begin to see patterns. CNNMoney recently published the profiles of 10 employees in “I have the best job in America!” Though the jobs were as varied as software architect to physical therapist to sales executive, the answer to “Why they love their job” boiled down to two main answers. I’ve added their statements below each answer.

1) I see the bigger picture – People want context. They want to know that what they’re doing has greater meaning, that it’s contributing to something greater than themselves.

• I create something people use.
• I create solutions.
• I work with people, improve their lives, and leave the world a better place.
• I prove the impossible is possible.
• I’m passionate about what I do.

2) I see results – People want purpose. They want to know, at the end of the day, they achieved something. Someone else benefited from what they did in a tangible way.

• Getting feedback every day that you’re helping people.
• I get the satisfaction of seeing patients return to an active lifestyle.
• I solve the difficult puzzles.
• I set my own path and see the benefit of it.
• Variety leads to new solutions.

If you make it possible for your employees to get what they want, you’ll also be giving them what they need.

Derek Irvine is Vice President of Client Strategy and Consulting for Globoforce, helping global companies set a higher ambition for global strategic employee recognition by leading workshops, strategy meetings and industry sessions around the world. Along with Globoforce CEO, Eric Mosley, Derek recently authored “Winning with a Culture of Recognition: Recognition Strategies at the World’s Most Admired Companies,” available through Amazon.com. Follow Derek on Twitter at @globoforce.

Comments

[Dan Walter]

great stuff

[Mario]

The Why of Work, by Dave and Wendy Ulrich. Recently published book stating ideas similar to those in this post.