As organizations approach the end of the year, many employees reflect on deeper questions: Did my work matter? Did I make a difference? Do I feel connected to what I do every day?
These questions aren’t seasonal. They are among the most powerful drivers of motivation, engagement, and performance. But this time of year tends to bring them into sharper focus.
One unexpected study offers a timely reminder of just how powerful a sense of meaning can be. A recent study of professional Santas found that many of them do not think of their role as a job at all—they see it as a calling.¹ Despite the role’s constraints—seasonal schedules, strict behavioral expectations, and constant emotional labor—many Santas feel a deep sense of purpose because they can clearly see the impact of their work: creating joy, connection, and moments of wonder.
For leaders, the implication is straightforward. This study reinforces a conclusion supported by decades of organizational research: when employees experience their work as meaningful, they bring more motivation, persistence, and performance to it.
Why Meaningful Work Drives Engagement and Performance
Research consistently shows that meaningful work is one of the strongest drivers of positive employee behavior. Employees who find their work meaningful are more engaged², more persistent², more resilient³, more collaborative⁴, and higher-performing overall⁵. Such employees focus more deeply on their work tasks, solve problems more creatively, and stay with their employer longer.²
Importantly, these outcomes are not driven by job titles or role prestige. They are shaped by how employees experience their work on a day-to-day basis—whether they understand why their work matters, feel valued for their contributions, and see how their efforts connect to broader organizational goals.
Decades of research show that meaningfulness commonly develops through:
- Seeing how one’s work benefits others⁴
- Understanding how job tasks connect to larger organizational goals²
- Feeling competent and trusted²³
- Aligning work with personal or organizational values²
- Building strong relationships with colleagues and leaders⁵
These experiences explain why highly structured roles—like Santa—can feel deeply meaningful. Santas see their impact instantly in the joy they create.¹ Many job roles lack that immediate feedback, making meaning less automatic and more dependent on leadership.
What Happens When Employees Lack Meaning in their Work
When employees struggle to see why their work matters, the effects are subtle at first—but consequential over time. Research shows that low meaningfulness is associated with reduced engagement and weaker discretionary effort, as work begins to feel transactional rather than worthwhile.² Employees are likely to do what is required, but less likely to invest extra energy, creativity, or persistence.² ⁵
A lack of meaningfulness also weakens employees’ connection to the organization. When people do not see value in their contributions, identification with organizational goals declines and turnover risk increases—especially when alternative roles promise greater purpose or growth.² ⁵
Importantly, low meaningfulness does not always show up as dissatisfaction. Many employees continue to perform adequately while feeling detached or indifferent. This quiet disengagement often appears as reduced initiative, limited collaboration, and lower enthusiasm for improvement.² ³
Finally, meaningfulness plays a critical role in how employees experience stress. When work feels purposeful, demands are easier to tolerate. When meaningfulness is absent, even manageable challenges can feel draining, accelerating fatigue and disengagement.³
How Leaders Can Strengthen Meaning at Work
This is where leaders make the difference. The systems and strategies of an organization matter, but employees experience meaning primarily through their day-to-day interactions with their managers. How leaders explain work, recognize contributions, and set expectations shapes whether employees see their efforts as significant or merely transactional.
Some of the most effective leadership behaviors include:
- Connect work to purpose regularly. When leaders consistently explain why work matters and who benefits from it, employees are better able to see the value of their contributions.²
- Make impact visible. Sharing customer stories, user feedback, or concrete examples of success gives employees a clear line of sight into the difference their work makes.⁴
- Provide autonomy and opportunities for mastery. Even small degrees of decision-making authority and skill development increase employees’ sense of competence and ownership, which strengthens meaning.²³
- Act as a “meaning maker.” Employees experience purpose largely through their immediate leader. Leaders who provide context, tie tasks to the broader mission, and recognize meaningful contributions help employees connect their daily work to something larger.⁵
- Acknowledge emotional labor. Many roles require composure, empathy, and sustained emotional effort. Recognizing this invisible work and allowing time for recovery helps employees maintain a sense of purpose over time.³
These behaviors don’t require sweeping change initiatives or large investments. They require leaders to be intentional, consistent, and clear in how they communicate and support their teams.
Conclusion
The Santa study is a charming seasonal example, but its implications are universal and strategic. When employees understand why their work matters, they engage more deeply, collaborate more effectively, show greater resilience, and stay longer. Meaning fuels performance, strengthens culture, and helps retain great people.
As the year winds down, leaders at all levels have a powerful opportunity to help their teams reconnect with purpose. Meaning is not a luxury; it is one of the most effective drivers of engagement and performance. And it is one of the clearest levers leaders can shape through how they communicate, prioritize, and recognize work in the year ahead.
