Meaningfulness‐making at work

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of the ways workers can actively make their own work experiences more meaningful.Design/methodology/approachThe data consist of 29 interviews with people from three professions. The authors analyzed the interviews by coding the statements into first‐ and second‐order categories, and then aggregating them into theoretical constructs; and by recognizing relations between the constructs.FindingsWorkers try to increase the proportion of positive cues extracted from work to make their work more meaningful. The three main tactics for increasing the proportion of positive cues are cognitively emphasizing the positive qualities of work, developing competencies to be better able to produce positive outcomes and positive reactions from others, and influencing the work content.Research limitations/implicationsThis model provides a preliminary understanding of meaningfulness‐making, based on cross‐sectional interview data. Future research should use alternative methods, and verify and elaborate the findings.Practical implicationsManagers can promote workers’ sense of meaningfulness by coaching and enabling meaningfulness‐making tactics identified in this paper.Originality/valueThis paper presents alternative ways to achieve work meaningfulness that complement the previously recognized job crafting and sensemaking routes.