Engaging people in your Purpose

Purpose is key for organisations.  Having a clear, and worthwhile purpose is frequently cited as the number one factor in attracting and retaining great people.  That’s why more and more organisations are looking to be purpose-driven.  

 One of our clients, known for having a young, ‘millennial’ population, wanted to put greater focus on their purpose as an organisation. As part of this they devised a narrative that captured the spirit of the company and defined a clear path for their future. 

 To transform the narrative from another set of words to something real the client wanted to capture stories that illustrated what motivates their employees and how their work really matters to their customers and communities. Inpulse was ideal to help people share these stories. Being quick, easy and enjoyable to use, it encouraged people to submit stories which they may otherwise have not done for fear of having to send in long bits of prose.  

Alongside this, the client also needed to understand engagement and identify trends across the whole of the organisation. Inpulse helped them do this and its segmentation feature allowed results to be broken down by area of the business, age, length of service, location and career level. 

What did Inpulse tell us and how did it help? 

• Employees were highly motivated by helping and supporting others to succeed and develop (customers & colleagues) – this needed to feature prominently in the purpose 
• Many of the stories highlighted that employees enjoyed working collaboratively, particularly when everyone pulled together to deliver in times of high pressure (such as in peak periods, unfortunate circumstances, and new projects) – sharing such stories help create a real sense of team and unity 
• Transparency across the workplace was highly valued – employees felt proud to work in such a transparent and open culture where leaders are open and the organisation does not shy away from talking about social and ethical issues – Inpulse reinforced this as many loved being able to see the results as soon as they submitted their comments. 
• The company’s aspiration and vision for where it wants to go inspired and motivated the employees. They not only wanted to drive their own careers and skills forward, but were also motivated to drive the company forward.  

 What’s happening now? 

• The Leadership Team used insight from the Inpulse survey as a stimulus for developing their future ways of working; how can we keep the spirit of our company, help people to feel a sense of continual growth and development, remain collaborative as the company grows and moves forward. 
• The stories collected and shared using Inpulse are being using to provide reasons to believe for the narrative and help others see what they can do to play their part 

• Local leaders clearly have a vital role as a bridge between the purpose and people’s day to day work. The client is coaching and equipping leaders to play this role –  talk with their teams, help them connect with the Purpose, recognise achievements and develop.