Most companies don’t have a culture problem—they have an engagement problem. And at the heart of that engagement problem is something often overlooked: employee fulfillment.
Yes, engagement surveys, wellness programs, and ping pong tables are everywhere. But despite these efforts, Gallup reports that 79% of employees worldwide are disengaged at work. That disengagement isn’t just bad for morale—it’s a signal that something deeper is missing in the culture itself.
When people aren’t fulfilled because their work lacks meaning, growth, connection, or purpose, they check out. And when enough people check out, so does your culture.
So the question isn’t how do we engage employees? It’s: How do we create a workplace where people actually feel fulfilled?
Employees want more than surface-level perks; they want an authentic sense of purpose, meaning, and alignment in their day-to-day work. They want fulfillment.
Fulfillment Goes Beyond Job Satisfaction
Fulfillment is deeper than satisfaction. It’s not a fleeting emotion. Fulfillment is associated with achievement, meaning, and purpose. It keeps people motivated, resilient, and grounded.
When we break it down, fulfillment shows up across five key life pillars:
- Health – Am I mentally, emotionally, and physically well enough to show up for work fully?
- Fitness – Do I have the energy and vitality to perform at my best?
- Career – Is my work meaningful? Am I growing professionally? Do I feel valued at work?
- Relationships – Do I feel connected to others at work and in life?
- Legacy – Am I building something that matters, beyond a paycheck?
These aren’t just personal goals. They directly influence how someone shows up in the workplace. And when even one of these pillars is more than a little out of sync, performance and engagement take a hit.
Why Fulfillment Shapes Culture More Than You Think
The Thriving in Midlife report, produced with Udemy, revealed that 79% of people would choose to be fulfilled over being happy. Think about that. People are prioritizing deep alignment and contribution over short-term joy.
Here’s what else we know:
- People who feel fulfilled are more loyal, more creative, and more energized.
- Professionals who feel off-track in their fitness, relationships, or legacy often bring that burden into work.
- When fulfillment is present, people collaborate better, lead more authentically, and support one another’s growth.
In short: fulfilled people create thriving cultures.
A great example of this in action comes from my conversation with Denis Beauséjour on episode 237 of the Midlife Fulfilled Podcast. As Managing Director at O.C. Tanner, Denis shared how their 2023 Global Culture Report proves the ROI of employee fulfillment and workplace culture.
“When employees are fulfilled, they will stay with the organization three years longer than employees who are not fulfilled,” Denis explained.
Listen to the podcast episode with Denis Beauséjour here: 👇🏼
Additionally, among other supporting evidence, Deloitte reports that companies who actively cultivate workplace culture achieve 516% greater revenue growth over 10 years than those that don’t.
The Leadership Opportunity
So, how do we create workplaces where fulfillment isn’t just a buzzword—but a reality?
This is the reason I developed the Fulfillment-Centric Leadership™ Framework.
It’s a practical approach that helps leaders:
- Support whole-person well-being
- Make work meaningful for each individual
- Foster authentic connection and trust on teams
- Create space for personal growth and legacy-building
- Strengthen a healthy culture that breeds collaboration
This isn’t theory…It’s about creating a workplace where people are energized, focused, and invested. Not because they have to be, but because they want to be.
Your Team’s Best Work Starts With Fulfillment
I define fulfillment as a deep sense of satisfaction connected to achievement and purpose. It’s more meaningful than happiness, which can be fleeting.
If your team feels disconnected, burned out, or stuck, the answer might not be more incentives or another team lunch.
Usually, it means that people are struggling with a lack of alignment between their values and their reality of work.
The good news is you can shift that. Begin with your own self-awareness of fulfillment across the five life pillars and your own alignment (or misalignment).
You cannot lead your team through the lens of fulfillment if you don’t first look in the mirror on this topic. Then, and only then, can you lead your team with true empathy.
Culture isn’t something that you fix. You don’t create culture. Your leadership fosters an environment where your people create the culture by the way they show up for work.
So I’ll leave you with this question:
What would your workplace culture be like if your team felt truly fulfilled?
Feature image source: Freepik
