Tucked away in a quiet corner of Brooklyn, New York, Greyston Bakery has turned the idea of business on its head. Rather than hiring people to make its brownies, the company says it makes brownies to provide work for local people. It’s a mission that caught the attention of Ben & Jerry’s, who now buy all of their ice cream’s brownie pieces from Greyston. 

This story provides a powerful reminder for HR leaders of the importance of purpose. Because whether you’re making desserts, loading trucks or processing mortgage applications, if we can connect work to something bigger, then we provide employees with a sense of purpose.

“Today’s employees look for significance and meaning in their work, so your purpose can’t only be a slogan that you put on posters and company mugs,” says Matt Poepsel, vice-president and godfather of talent optimisation at The Predictive Index. “If people are just going through the motions doing their work, they’re not bringing their true energy and they’re not performing at their best.