Episode: 632

Episode Title: Beyond the Transaction

61% of workers care about little at work besides the paycheck—but do they have the potential to care more? Let’s talk about it, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 632 show:

Welcome to The Perna Syndicate! We’re looking at a new study this week that uncovered some sobering stats about people’s attitudes toward work. Chris Mullen, Executive Director at The Workforce Institute at UKG, agrees that most people today seem to have a transactional relationship with work. 

Fully 61% admit they go to work just to collect a paycheck, clock out, and go home. They don’t care about much else at work, so long as the paycheck keeps coming.

Along similar lines, only about a quarter of employees say they’re in a career with specific goals and ambitions that they want to grow. Only 11% of workers feel that their job is their “calling.” No wonder so many people are itching to quit.

But Mullen also believes people do inherently want to work—if, and only if, companies can connect jobs with meaning and purpose. In other words, people might not hate their jobs so much if they felt their work had value beyond simply the money it brings in.   

This is another reason I see Gen Z as a true benchmark for every other generation. They demand real purpose in their work, and meeting that demand will satisfy every other working generation as well. 

I mean, who wouldn’t want their work to mean something? I sure do, and I bet you do, too. 

Coming up the rest of this week, we’re going to look at six ways companies can move beyond just a transactional relationship—with Gen Z and every other generation at work today. We’ll see you back here tomorrow on The Perna Syndicate. Take care!