Let’s have an honest conversation.
At a certain point, money stops talking.
I was listening to a brilliant episode of This Working Life recently (one I think every business leader should have on their playlist). It was about employee purpose — or, more accurately, how organisations often miss the mark chasing satisfaction through financial rewards alone.
One point really hit home: once you’re paying fairly — once you’re meeting that fundamental expectation — throwing more money into the mix doesn’t actually buy you greater engagement, loyalty, or meaning.
And honestly? Gallup’s research backs this up. Every single time.
After fair pay, purpose becomes the real currency.
Fair Pay is the Starting Line, Not the Finish Line
We need to get one thing very clear.
Employees aren’t coming to work just for your Friday BBQ (though if there’s good potato salad, it doesn’t hurt). They’re not staying because you threw them a $500 bonus at Christmas either.
Those things are nice — but they’re hygiene factors.
Gallup, and decades of workplace psychology, have been screaming this from the rooftops:
Fair pay and perks create satisfaction, sure.
But they don’t create engagement. They don’t create purpose. They don’t make someone wake up thinking, I’m excited to be part of this.
And that’s the difference between someone doing the job — and someone doing the job with heart.
Purpose: The Real Driver of Wellbeing and Connection
Here’s the thing, though.
Not everyone is looking for deep purpose at work — and that’s perfectly okay.
Some people just want to come in, do their job well, collect their paycheque, and go home to the life they’re truly passionate about.
And we should respect that.
But it’s important to understand — when people feel disconnected from meaning in their work, it can chip away at their overall wellbeing, even if they don’t consciously realise it.
Gallup’s research has found a strong link between feeling purposeful at work and higher levels of personal wellbeing.
When work feels empty or transactional, it’s not just the organisation that loses — the individual does too.
Motivation drops.
Resilience fades.
Workplace culture erodes, bit by bit.
And this is where Mark McCrindle’s insights come into sharp focus.
Work as a “Third Place”: Why It Matters More Than You Think
In his research around Work Wellbeing, McCrindle explores the concept of the third place.
Traditionally, our first place is home.
Our second place is work.
And the third place? It’s where connection happens. It’s the coffee shop, the gym, the club — anywhere you find belonging, relationships, meaning.
But here’s the shift:
For many people today — and for many reasons — work has to provide elements of that third place too.
Employees are looking for workplaces that don’t just tick the box on a salary package, but create a sense of belonging and emotional wellbeing.
A sense of community.
A sense of this is somewhere I want to be, not just somewhere I have to be.
In fact, McCrindle’s research found that meaningful relationships at work — feeling known, valued, and connected — is one of the strongest predictors of both engagement and personal wellbeing.
It’s no longer enough for work to be just transactional.
People crave more.
They need more.
And if workplaces don’t provide it?
They’ll find somewhere that does.
Why Purpose Matters to the Whole Business
When you create a workplace where purpose lives — not just on a vision statement, but in everyday conversations and decisions — you do more than engage your people.
You support their wellbeing.
You strengthen resilience.
You make work something that adds to life, not drains from it.
And that’s when you unlock real performance.
If your answer to engagement challenges is still “just pay more” — you’re solving the wrong problem.
You’re using a spanner when what you need is a blueprint.
Here’s what truly moves the needle:
- Create a clear, inspiring purpose.
- Show employees how their work matters.
- Foster real connections — not just transactions.
- Recognise effort meaningfully — not just financially.
That’s not fluffy feel-good HR speak.
That’s science.
That’s what Gallup’s millions of data points — and McCrindle’s research on workplace wellbeing — tell us.
That’s what workplaces who thrive long-term know instinctively: people stay where they feel part of something that matters.
Final Thought
Fair pay is vital — absolutely.
And yes, some people just want to do a good day’s work and head home — and that’s valid.
But if you want real engagement? If you want to attract, inspire, and retain people who’ll build your business with you rather than just for you?
It’s time to stop reaching for the wallet.
Start reaching for their sense of purpose instead.
Because money fills the bank account —
Purpose fills the human spirit.
And workplaces that recognise the difference will be the ones where people don’t just work.
They belong.
You must be logged in to post a comment.