Why connection matters: ‘I feel like I’m contributing to something great’

In their lives, people want connection to a higher purpose and to community. Not surprisingly, employees want that same feeling of connection at work.

That’s the overwhelming finding from surveys of millions of employees at companies across the U.S. by research firm WorkplaceDynamics. When employees find deeper connection to what they do at work, they are more motivated, more likely to work harder and more likely to rate their company as a Top Workplace, WorkplaceDynamics has found. That’s why creating strong connections at work is one of the fundamentals for creating a workplace that is organizationally healthy.

What do employees mean when they say it’s important for them to connect to a greater purpose at work? Listen to some recent responses from WorkplaceDynamics employee surveys.

“I believe we’re building the best company in America,” said one employee. “Our approach to doing business is unmatched. We treat our employees with sincere respect and encourage them to achieve their personal best. We help improve the lives of our customers and our vendors. It doesn’t get any better than this!”

Said another, “I feel like I am contributing to something great.”

Part of achieving a deeper connection is employees feeling that they are part of something purposeful through their work—and that they belong.

“I feel like I am a part of something bigger,” said one employee, “that we are all a team working towards one common goal.”

Added another, “I am able to help others develop in a fun, exciting atmosphere. I am able to manage values and attitudes of great people who care about what we’re trying to accomplish and who want to improve daily.”

And this from an employee describing what he encounters every day at the office: “It’s a community. We actually care about one another here.”

When employees feel connection to the work they do, the place they do it and the people with whom they interact, they dedicate themselves more deeply and work harder.

“My job satisfaction is what motivates me to want to come to work every day,” said one employee. “I feel I make a difference.”