A recent study by Harvard Business Review revealed that a mere 28% of respondents felt connected to their company’s purpose. The same study indicated that 90% of organisations with a purpose that resonated with employees saw at or above industry growth and profits.
In an article by EY on the power of purpose, Rebecca Henderson, a Professor at Harvard Business School explains the tangible impact of purpose. She said, “The sense of being part of something greater than yourself can lead to high levels of engagement, high levels of creativity and the willingness to partner across functional and product boundaries within a company, which are hugely powerful.”
Purpose can transform your business
Another EY report shares five ways purpose can help to inspire employees and transform your business:
- Strategic clarity – Purpose works as a means of setting boundaries for what an organisation will and will not do as part of its growth strategy.
- Innovation – As well as driving incremental improvements to products and services, purpose can inspire original ideas and creativity in an organization.
- Transformation – Purpose provides an antidote to using fear when it comes to managing organizational transformation.
- Human nature – Purpose can be used to tap into our basic human need to be part of something greater than ourselves – to contribute to a wider group or bigger goal.
- Building bridges – Purpose can be deployed as a force to promote and create better alliances, in the interests of a single compelling aim
At PERSOLKELLY, our purpose is simple and clear:
We combine expertise with human insight to achieve more, together.
It occurred to me during a recent PERSOLKELLY monthly business meeting that we really live and breath our purpose. Our Executive General Manager Kurt Gillam often recognises our team and their connection to it.
Our purpose carries through in our experiences and interactions with clients and candidates too.
When consulting with a client on an innovative recruitment strategy or advising a candidate on career options, we work closely with our Programmed Staffing family, and quickly tap into the expertise within our organisation to achieve more together.
At PERSOLKELLY, we are reaping the benefits of a clear and concise purpose. And it’s the little nods to your purpose that remind us why we get out of bed in the morning.
If you do not have a company purpose or have one that is lacklustre, gather your team with urgency and start hashing out what is your core reason for being. Check out this useful framework by McKinsey for embedding purpose throughout your organisation.
Written by Ashley Speers, Business Development Manager – Western Region
With ten years’ experience in the Australian talent solutions industry, Ashley has developed in-depth knowledge of candidate and client market forces. Ashley has worked collaboratively with leading Australian organisations to design, implement and deliver talent solutions, pertinent to their business priorities. During her ten-year career in Australia, Ashley has worked in various roles from Recruitment Consultant, Team Leader, State Sales Manager and now Business Development Manager – Western Region.
Looking for staff? Contact Ashley at Ashley.Speers@persolkelly.com.au
