How to help people feel they are doing purposeful and meaningful work: Strategy #6.3 – Reinforce the importance of people’s work.

We have previously published a series of people leadership strategies around the themes of people feeling supported, valued and safe; creating a ‘team environment’; supporting learning and growth; empowering staff and building autonomy; ensuring clarity of roles and expectations; and creating meaning and purpose.

Practical Ideas Guides

We are now going to explore the actionable steps that you can take to enable the suggested strategies and actions.  This is one in a series of 31 posts providing specific descriptions of the actions in practice. (There is one practical idea guide for each people leadership strategy)

So, this post focuses on the theme of helping people feel they are doing purposeful and meaningful work.  In a previous post we have talked through 5 overarching strategies to support people feeling engaged in doing purposeful and meaningful work:

6.1 Recognise the contribution that individuals are making

6.2 Provide challenges and help people make progress in their work

6.3 Reinforce the importance of people’s work

6.4 Align individual aspirations & strengths with team and organisational goals

6.5 Understand individual’s goals, aspirations and strengths

In this post we take a deep dive into the specific strategy of:

6.3 Reinforce the importance of people’s work.

Leaders who provide opportunities for people to contribute ideas, opinions and suggestions as well as regularly acknowledge the contribution people are making to higher order outcomes boosts morale and performance as people feel valued and respected in the workplace. So, here are some of the actions that can be taken to put this leadership strategy into practice:

1. Encourage, invite and recognise people’s ideas, suggestions and views in relation to the work that they are doing.  . 

Encouraging ideas is important, but without context, suggestions can miss the mark or feel frustrating to implement.  Your role is to set people up to contribute meaningfully, not just invite input.

1. Start with context – don’t skip this

Before asking for ideas, explain:

  • Why this work matters now
  • What’s driving it (e.g. priorities, pressures, opportunities)
  • Any constraints (time, budget, stakeholders)

Without this, people are guessing – and may disengage if their ideas don’t land.

2. Clarify outcomes and success

Be explicit about what you’re trying to achieve:

  • What does success look like?
  • What would a great outcome deliver?
  • What are the non-negotiables?

This focuses people’s thinking and improves the quality of ideas.

3. Make a clear, genuine invitation

Don’t assume people will speak up – invite them directly:

“Given this context and what we’re trying to achieve, I’d really value your ideas on how we approach this.”

Pause and give space. Silence often just means people are thinking.

4. Explore and build on their ideas

When ideas are offered:

  • Ask follow-up questions: “How might that work in practice?”
  • Link their idea back to outcomes: “That would help us achieve X.”
  • Combine or refine ideas together

This shows you’re taking contributions seriously, not just collecting them.

5. Acknowledge Contribution – not just final decisions

Even if an idea isn’t adopted, recognise the thinking behind it:

  • “That’s a useful angle – especially your point about…”
  • “That helps us think differently about…”

People are more likely to contribute again if they feel heard, not judged.

6. Close the loop

If you ask for input, always come back to it:

  • What did we decide?
  • What influenced that decision?
  • How did their input shape the outcome?

Nothing disengages a team faster than ideas disappearing into a void. When you consistently provide context, invite ideas, and respond thoughtfully, you build a team that thinks with you, not just works for you.

2. Treat people as trusted and respected professionals by inviting and including them in work and discussions that value their experience and expertise.

People feel trusted when they are included in thinking, not just given tasks. As a manager, your role is not to be the ‘chief problem-solver’, but to harness the capability of your team.

1. Shift your default role

It’s easy to fall into “I’ll just sort this out” mode – especially when you’re busy or experienced. Instead, aim for:

“Who in my team should be thinking about this with me?”

This small shift reduces pressure on you and builds capability in others.

2. Involve the right people early

When a challenge or opportunity arises:

  • Bring in 2-3 relevant team members early
  • Share the context and why their input matters
  • Be explicit about why you’ve chosen them

For example:

“I’d like your input on this because of your experience with X.”

This signals respect for their expertise.

3. Create space for genuine contribution

Avoid presenting fully formed solutions. Instead:

  • Share the problem or opportunity
  • Ask for perspectives and options
  • Let the discussion unfold, don’t push for agreement too quickly

Use prompts like:

  • “What are we missing here?”
  • “What would you do if you owned this?”
  • “What risks or opportunities do you see?”

This encourages thinking, not just agreement.

4. Build on ideas – don’t compete with them

When people contribute:

  • Acknowledge their thinking
  • Build on it or connect ideas together
  • Avoid immediately replacing it with your own solution

Your role is to facilitate better thinking, not to win the argument.

5. Be transparent about decisions

After a discussion:

  • Explain what you’ve decided and why
  • Show how their input influenced the outcome (where it did)

Even when you don’t adopt a suggestion, people stay engaged if they understand the reasoning.

6. Make this a habit, not a one-off

Consistently involve your team in:

  • Problem-solving
  • Planning
  • Process improvements
  • Strategy discussions (at the appropriate level)

Over time, this builds a team that expects to contribute – and is capable of doing so.

When you consistently treat people as professionals, you create a team that thinks, contributes, and takes ownership – rather than waits to be told.

3. Ensure people retain ownership over the work that they are doing through retaining responsibility over time i.e. only re-assigning work when absolutely necessary..

People build confidence, pride, and accountability when they are allowed to own work end-to-end.  As a manager, it can be tempting to reassign work to solve short-term pressure or rebalance workload, however frequent shifting can unintentionally reduce ownership and engagement.  Your role is to be deliberate about when and why work moves.

1. Treat reassignment as the exception, not the default

Before moving work between people, pause and ask:

  • Is this change truly necessary, or just the quickest fix?
  • What problem am I solving – and is there a better way?
  • What will this do to the person currently owning it?

This helps you avoid reactive decisions that weaken ownership over time.

2. Prioritise end-to-end ownership wherever possible

Aim for people to:

  • Start a piece of work
  • Work through the complexity
  • Deliver the outcome
  • See the impact of their contribution

Even in a small team, this continuity is what builds capability and confidence.

A useful default question is: “Can this person reasonably see this through to completion?”

3. Be careful with “task shuffling” under pressure

When workload gets tight, it’s easy to redistribute tasks frequently, but constant shifting can lead to:

  • Loss of accountability (“I’m just doing part of this”)
  • Reduced pride in outcomes
  • Lower engagement with the work

Instead, look for other options first:

  • Re-prioritising work rather than moving it
  • Adjusting timelines
  • Adding support rather than removing ownership

4. When you do reassign work, do it transparently

Sometimes change is necessary. When it is:

  • Explain clearly why the change is happening
  • Acknowledge the work already done
  • Be explicit that the contribution still matters

For example: “I know you’ve already put work into this – this shift is due to X constraint, and your input has still been really valuable.” This protects dignity and trust.

5. Involve people in the transition where possible

Instead of simply handing work over:

  • Ask them to brief the new owner
  • Capture key learnings together
  • Recognise what they’ve built so far

This helps maintain a sense of continuity and respect.

6. Make ownership the default expectation

Reinforce in everyday management that:

  • People are responsible for outcomes, not just tasks
  • They are trusted to carry work through
  • You will protect their ownership wherever possible

This creates a culture where people expect to finish what they start.

When you protect ownership, you’re not just managing workload – you’re building capability, confidence, and accountability across the team.

4. When delegating tasks or establishing projects, discuss how the work will contribute to higher order outcomes. 

When delegating work, it’s easy to focus only on what needs to be done. However, when people only hear tasks, work can quickly feel transactional and disconnected. As a manager, your role is to consistently connect day-to-day work to why it matters – both in terms of outcomes and impact.

1. Don’t start with the task – start with the purpose

Before explaining the detail of the work, set the context:

  • Why does this work exist?
  • What problem is it solving?
  • What would improve if this is done well?

For example:

“The reason this matters is…” or “What we’re trying to achieve here is…”

This frames the work as meaningful, not mechanical.

2. Link every piece of work to a higher-level outcome

Make a deliberate habit of connecting tasks to:

  • Team objectives
  • Organisational priorities
  • Service or customer outcomes

For example:

“This piece of work directly contributes to X priority in our business plan by…”

This helps people see how their effort fits into something larger than the task itself.

3. Make the impact real, not abstract

Don’t rely only on high-level strategy language – translate it into tangible impact:

  • Who benefits from this work?
  • What will be better or easier as a result?
  • What would failure look like?

For example:

“If we get this right, it will mean…”

This helps people connect emotionally, not just intellectually.

4. Tailor the framing to the individual where possible

Where you know people well:

  • Link work to their interests, strengths, or development goals
  • Highlight why this task is a good fit for them specifically

For example:

“I think this will be a great opportunity for you because…”

This increases ownership and engagement.

5. Keep the “big picture” present throughout, not just at the start

Don’t treat purpose as a one-off explanation at delegation.

Reinforce it by:

  • Referencing priorities in check-ins
  • Linking progress back to outcomes
  • Reminding people what success contributes to

This keeps motivation anchored beyond the task itself.

6. Make strategy visible in everyday work

Regularly connect tasks back to:

  • Business plans
  • Team goals
  • Service commitments

But keep it simple and relevant – avoid overloading with jargon.

A useful question to ask yourself is:

“Can this person clearly see how their work contributes to something bigger?”

When you consistently connect tasks to purpose and impact, you shift work from “things to do” into “contributions that matter.”

5. Seek to keep people’s work intact by not unnecessarily changing, editing or ‘adding value’ to it. 

One of the easiest ways to unintentionally reduce ownership is to over-edit or “improve” someone’s work after they’ve put effort into it. While the intent is usually quality improvement, the impact can be reduced confidence, reduced accountability, and a sense that the work was never really theirs. As a manager your role is to balance quality with ownership – and to be intentional about when you step in.

1. Start with a simple check before you edit

Before making changes, pause and ask:

  • Does this change materially improve the outcome?
  • Or is it preference, style, or how I would have done it?
  • Will this change significantly reduce risk or improve impact?

If it’s not meaningful, consider leaving it.

2. Be selective about where you “add value”

Not all improvements are worth the cost in ownership.

A useful rule of thumb:

  • High-value changes: accuracy, risk, clarity of meaning, compliance, major structural issues
  • Low-value changes: wording preferences, formatting, minor style differences

If it’s in the second category, it’s usually not worth taking ownership away.

3. Recognise the hidden cost of editing

Even small edits can unintentionally signal:

  • “This isn’t quite good enough”
  • “I would have done it differently”
  • “I need to fix this before it’s right”

Over time, this can reduce initiative and confidence – especially in capable team members who want autonomy.

4. Default to conversation before correction

If something isn’t quite right, don’t immediately rewrite it, instead:

  • Talk it through
  • Ask questions about intent or reasoning
  • Explore alternatives together

For example:

“Can you walk me through why you approached it this way?”

This turns correction into development, not replacement.

5. Avoid “silent takeover” of work

Be careful not to:

  • Heavily rewrite someone’s work without discussion
  • Re-present their work in your own voice
  • Fix things quietly without their awareness

If you need to make changes, make the involvement visible and intentional.

6. Use coaching instead of mark-ups where possible

Where the issue is developmental rather than critical:

  • Give feedback in conversation, not just edited documents
  • Explain the principle behind the change
  • Help them apply it next time

This builds capability without stripping ownership.

7. Be honest when you’re adding personal preference

If you are making stylistic changes, be transparent:

“This is just my preference, not a requirement – feel free to keep your version if you prefer.”

This protects autonomy while still offering input. When you only intervene where it truly matters, you preserve both quality and ownership – and build a team that takes pride in its work.

6. Look to praise the quality of people’s work and explain why it is good.

People are more likely to repeat good work when they understand exactly what they did well. Generic praise like “good job” is well-intended, but it doesn’t tell someone what to continue doing. As a manager of a team, your goal is to make recognition specific, timely, and behaviour-based.

1. Move from general praise to specific observation

Instead of:

  • “Great work”
  • “Well done”

Say what specifically stood out:

  • What they did
  • How they did it
  • Why it was effective

For example:

“The way you structured that update made it really easy to follow and action.”

This makes the feedback usable, not just encouraging.

2. Name the behaviour, not just the outcome

Don’t only praise results – highlight the behaviours that created them, perhaps it was:

  • Clear thinking
  • Good judgement
  • Strong communication
  • Stakeholder awareness
  • Preparation and structure

For example:

“You did a really good job anticipating the questions stakeholders would have and addressing them upfront.”

This reinforces capability, not just performance.

3. Be specific about “what good looks like”

When reviewing work, describe precisely what worked:

For written work:

  • “Clear and concise structure”
  • “Strong use of evidence or examples”
  • “Well-judged level of detail for the audience”

For meetings or verbal work:

  • “You kept the discussion focused without shutting people down”
  • “You brought options rather than just problems”
  • “You handled competing views calmly and clearly”

This helps people calibrate their own standards over time.

4. Make praise about thinking as well as execution

In experienced teams especially, reinforce judgement:

  • How they approached a problem
  • The trade-offs they considered
  • The decisions they made

For example:

“I really liked how you weighed up the risks before recommending a path forward.”

This builds stronger decision-making capability.

5. Make recognition part of everyday management

Don’t reserve specific feedback for formal reviews.

Look for opportunities in:

  • One-on-ones
  • Quick check-ins
  • Project debriefs
  • Ad hoc conversations

Consistency matters more than formality.

6. Be authentic and anchored in what you actually saw

Specific praise only works if it’s real:

  • Refer to actual moments or examples
  • Avoid generic templates or overstatement
  • Keep it grounded in observable behaviour

People quickly notice when feedback is performative versus genuine.

When you consistently explain why something is good, you don’t just recognise performance – you build it.

7. Help people see the connection between their work and the end user/customer.

People find meaning in their work when they can clearly see who benefits from it. As a manager, one of your key roles is to make the end user or customer visible – not abstract, but real and present in day-to-day thinking. This connection is often the difference between work that feels like “tasks” and work that feels purposeful.

1. Don’t Leave “the customer” at the strategy level

It’s not enough to say the work supports “customers” or “service users” in general.

Instead, consistently translate work into:

  • What problem is being solved?
  • What frustration or friction is being removed?
  • What becomes easier, faster, or better for them?

For example:

“This work reduces the time it takes for a customer to get a response.”

This turns abstract purpose into something tangible.

2. Build the customer link into work planning

When planning work or allocating tasks:

  • Be explicit about who is affected
  • Explain how they are affected
  • Connect the task to the outcome early

For example:

“This piece of work directly improves the experience for X group by…”

This ensures purpose is built into the work from the start, not added later.

3. Reinforce the connection when assigning work

When delegating:

  • Don’t just describe the task
  • Explain the end-user impact
  • Make the “so what” explicit

For example:

“This will help customers by reducing delays in…”

This helps people see their role as contribution, not just execution.

4. Bring real customer experience into the team

Where possible, make the customer visible in a direct way:

  • Invite customers or service users to share feedback
  • Share real examples or stories of impact
  • Bring data or complaints/compliments into discussions

Nothing builds meaning faster than hearing directly from the people affected.

5. Close the loop: show the impact of completed work

After work is delivered:

  • Share what changed for the customer or user
  • Highlight feedback or outcomes
  • Connect results back to the team’s effort

For example:

“Because of this work, we’ve seen X improvement in user experience.”

This reinforces that effort leads to real-world impact.

6. Make it a regular habit, not a one-off message

Look for opportunities to consistently link work to user/customer impact in:

  • Team meetings
  • One-on-ones
  • Planning discussions
  • Project updates

The goal is repetition – so people naturally think in terms of impact, not tasks.

When you consistently connect work to real customers, you turn routine tasks into meaningful contribution.

What Next?

Having read this practical guidance, some questions you may want to ask yourself might be:

  • Are there one or two ideas emerging for me that I might want to put into practice?
  • What is the smallest thing I could do that might have a positive impact?
  • How will I hold myself accountable for following through on my actions?

Good luck!

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