the quest for meaningful work

The quest for meaningful work is a central and defining feature of organizational life. For decades, employees have reported that the meaningfulness of work - the perception that daily responsibilities have broader significance - is more important than any other occupational feature, including income, job security, and the opportunity for career advancement. When day-to-day activities are marked by a deep sense of significance, individuals are poised not only to thrive but to weather the most daunting elements of employment, including challenging tasks, low wages, and stigmatized work. Likewise, the absence of meaningfulness has powerful ramifications, as one of the primary reasons employees disengage from their work is because it lacks significance.

"I'm Not Mopping the Floors, I'm Putting a Man on the Moon": How NASA Leaders Enhanced the Meaningfulness of Work by Changing the Meaning of Work. by Andrew M. Carton. Administrative Science Quarterly. 2018. Vol. 63(2)323-369