Meaningful Work: Insights from Research and Practice
Throughout my career as a career psychologist and researcher, I’ve been fascinated by how individuals seek out meaningful work and construct meaning in their professional lives. This fascination led me to pursue a PhD at age 64, examining how people find meaning in life after full-time work. Today, I’d like to share some compelling insights that emerged from a recent research piece that beautifully complements my own investigations into meaning-making across different life stages.
A Tale of Three Professions
Professor Katie Bailey Erit of King’s College London conducted an intriguing study examining how nurses, creative artists, and lawyers experience meaningful work. Listening to her findings, on Thinking Allowed, I noticed clear parallels. They reflect patterns I’ve observed in my own practice over the past 25 years.
Consider the nurse who found meaning in creative problem-solving for a deaf patient and her mother, or the creative artist grappling with the tension between commercial success and artistic integrity. These narratives echo conversations I’ve had with countless professionals wrestling with their own meaning-making journeys.
The Universal Search for Meaningful Work
What makes Bailey Erit’s research particularly valuable is her identification of three essential elements for meaningful work:
1. The ability to contribute in ways that align with our personal values
2. Receiving validation through feedback about our impact
3. Having both the capability and resources to perform effectively
In my work with individuals transitioning to retirement, I’ve seen these same elements emerge repeatedly, albeit in different contexts. For example, a retired executive might find new meaning in mentoring young entrepreneurs, drawing satisfaction from both the alignment with their values and the tangible impact of their guidance.
When Meaning Feels Elusive
A reassuring aspects of Bailey Erit’s research is her acknowledgement that meaningful work isn’t a constant state. As someone who has written extensively about careers and transitions, I find this particularly relevant. Even in my own journey – from practising psychologist to author to researcher – there have been periods where meaning felt more or less accessible.
Fluctuation in our sense of purpose don’t signal failure. They are a natural part of our professional journey. What matters is our ability to recognise and create conditions where meaning can flourish.
Questions for Deep Reflection on Meaningful Work
As you contemplate your own relationship with meaningful work, consider:
1. Looking back on your career, what moments stand out as particularly meaningful? What made them so?
2. How do you measure the impact of your work beyond traditional metrics of success?
3. In what ways has your understanding of meaningful work evolved as you’ve progressed through different life stages?
4. What activities consistently provide you with a sense of purpose, regardless of your formal role?
5. How might you reshape your current work to better align with what you find meaningful?
The Retirement Perspective
My research into meaning after full-time work has revealed something fascinating: the elements that make work meaningful don’t vanish in retirement. Instead, they transform. The challenge isn’t finding new meaning. It is identifying new ways to express our values and contribute.
For instance, a former teacher might find similar satisfaction in community education initiatives, while a retired healthcare professional might discover meaning in advocacy work. The key lies in understanding that meaning doesn’t depend on formal employment – it’s connected to how we express our values and contribute to something larger than ourselves.
Looking Ahead
As we navigate an increasingly complex professional landscape, understanding how to create and sustain meaningful work becomes ever more crucial. Whether you are mid-career, approaching retirement, or exploring post-retirement opportunities, the ability to identify and create meaningful contributions remains vital.
In my practice, I’ve observed that those who thrive in career transitions are often those who understand that meaning isn’t found solely in job titles or achievements. It comes from the alignment between their values, actions, and impact.
A Personal Note
As I reflect on my own journey – from career psychologist to author of seven books on careers, to PhD researcher examining meaning in retirement – I’m struck by how the quest for meaningful work evolves rather than ends. Each transition brings new opportunities for meaning-making. It also brings challenges to navigate, and new ways to contribute.
This evolution of meaningful work – from formal career to retirement and beyond – isn’t just a theoretical concept for me; it’s a lived experience that continues to inform my research and practice. It’s also what drives me to share these insights with you through this newsletter.
This piece was inspired by Professor Katie Bailey Erit’s research at King’s College London on experiencing meaningful work through worthwhile contributions, viewed through the lens of my own research and practice in career psychology and retirement transitions.
