The Importance of a Unique Mission
New Year’s Day Sunrise – Fishing at Dawn – Wishing All an Awesome Year – Photo Courtesy Rick Alovis
By: Rick Boxx
When you go to work, does having a sense of mission – an underlying purpose – factor into how much you enjoy what you do? An article in Wall Street Journal, a respected business periodical, discussed the increasing focus corporations are now putting on their employees’ need for a sense of purpose in their work. For many of them, having a job to perform and earning a regular paycheck is not sufficient – they also want to feel their work has deeper meaning.
This concern is shared by many people as they evaluate their investment options. For instance, Factiva, an online business information and research tool, discovered the words “mission” “higher purpose,” or “changing the world” were discussed 3,243 times by investors with their financial advisors on recorded phone calls in 2014, compared to only 2,318 times five years before.
One reason for this significant surge in interest is generational. There is a strong emphasis among many men and women in the so-called “millennial generation” who want to work somewhere that is making a difference in the world. They want their vocations – and the companies that employ them – to contribute positively to people that use their products and services, communities where they are located, and to the world at large.
Many businesses and organizations already have statements of mission, vision and values, so they can readily address the desire for a greater purpose that many of their workers and prospective employees have. A well-articulated mission statement helps an individual to quickly discern whether a company’s overriding purpose and their own are in alignment.
For those of us that see our work as an expression of our spiritual convictions, this also makes a lot of sense. The Bible teaches vocational pursuits are part of God’s calling and His plan for us to participate in His creation constructively. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). In other words, the gifts and talents we possess are not arbitrary, but divinely given for us to participate in God’s work locally and globally.
As employers, executives and managers, one of the ways we can best serve those working under our direction is to communicate how much we value the ways God has designed them and our business for His unique purposes. This can also serve as a good recruiting tool, showing job seekers that the company has an understanding of its role in society and how individual members of the team can contribute toward achieving that purpose.
People who find meaning in their work and pursue excellence in all they do typically find their jobs more fulfilling and rewarding, and not just in terms of compensation. And that dedication deserves genuine recognition and appreciation. As Proverbs 22:29 states, “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.”
When workers feel they are “on a mission,” undertaking tasks and responsibilities that transcend mere deadlines and quotas, they become inspired, highly motivated and more productive. The company benefits as well, making it a win-win situation for everyone.
Until next week!
Copyright 2013, Integrity Resource Center, Inc. Adapted with permission from “Integrity Moments with Rick Boxx,” a commentary on issues of integrity in the workplace from a Christian perspective. To learn more about Integrity Resource Center or to sign up for Rick’s daily Integrity Moments, visit www.integrityresource.org.
© MONDAY MANNA is a weekly issue of CBMC INTERNATIONAL a non-profit, evangelical ministry that exists to serve business and professional people as followers of Jesus; to present Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to business and professional men.
