It’s Not Burnout. It’s a Mattering Deficit.

The biggest challenge in our workplaces today isn’t burnout, loneliness, or disengagement but something deeper.

According to Zach Mercurio, Ph.D. Mercurio, author of “The Power of Mattering” and my most recent LinkedIn Live guest, we're not facing a wellbeing crisis. We're facing a mattering deficit. 

If you missed our conversation, you can watch it here. 

Here’s the latest Wellbeing at Work Newsletter on the Power of Mattering:

1. We're not lonely. We just don't feel seen.

Disengagement and loneliness aren’t solved by adding more people into the room. What matters is feeling like you matter to those around you. 

As Zach puts it: “The opposite of loneliness isn’t being surrounded by more people. It's feeling that you matter to the people who are already there.”

2. Mattering happens in the small moments, not with big programs.

You can’t program, survey, or self-help your way out of a mattering deficit. It’s not about grand gestures or corporate initiatives. Mattering lives in the everyday, often overlooked interactions when someone remembers your name, asks how you’re doing, or affirms your contribution. 

These are the moments that create meaning.

3. We become who we are with others.

“We become who we are with others,” as Zach explains. Self-actualization doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in relationships. We don’t just grow ourselves. We actualize one another through the ways we show up. 

That’s why we need to treat mattering as a daily practice:

• Schedule the gratitude. 

• Follow through on the check-in. 

• Show people the difference they make. 

When people feel like they matter, they act like they matter.

Zach’s Follow-Up: Your Questions, Answered

We received so many thoughtful questions during the live session, we didn’t have time to answer them all. Thankfully, Zach took the time to follow up and respond to the ones we missed.

Brette Rainforth: How would you recommend we bring this up to leadership without them feeling like we're blaming them?

Zach: A lot of people ask me: "What if my leader doesn't do this for me?" My response is always: "Do you do it for them?" Mattering is non-directional. Chances are high that your leader doesn't feel that they matter either. As you approach this with them, it's important to do it in a way that helps them feel seen, heard, and valued, too. One way to do that is to de-personalize the feedback and use appreciative or affirmative language while showing that you're in this "with" them.

For example, instead of using language like, "I don't feel like I matter here," you might say, "I wanted to share something with you. I've noticed that I add the most value here when I see how my work makes a difference, and at times lately, it's been hard to see that. Can we talk about ways in which I can get this feedback more regularly?" 

Vusani Chirwa : How can fostering a sense of mattering in individuals or teams serve as a stabilising force for well-being and purpose?

Zach: It's hard for anything to matter to someone who doesn't believe that they matter. To believe that we're significant in some way animates all human behavior. It's why we get up every morning, even if we don't consciously think about it. Knowing we matter is inherently energizing at the biological and psychological levels, which is why research shows it can lower objective stress levels and enhance well-being. 

When it comes to purpose, our purpose is our contribution. Mattering helps us feel worthy of contributing. That's why mattering comes first.

Roberto Klarich Né De Marni and Damini: How could organizations, and specifically in recruitment departments, fold mattering into their hiring practices more or better? 

Zach: There are two sides to this question: First, make sure prospects feel that they matter. A client who hires frontline workers came to me and said recruits weren't showing up for a group interview process required by the company. I took a look at their communications, and it was all generic (i.e., "Thank you for your application. We'd like to invite you to an interview..."), which had no personalized note of why the company (and specifically a person within the company) was looking forward to interviewing them. We made two changes to the email sent to applicants selected for interviews. 

The first articulated what about their unique background and perspective the company valued, and expressed how they thought they could add value specifically. The next line introduced the team member by name who would be waiting to greet them for their interview and provided their personal phone number to connect with should they have questions or concerns about the interview.  Interview attendance approached nearly 100% after that change. 

Audit your communications to ensure prospects feel seen and valued, and focus on how they can use their gifts to add value in their job. 

The second side of this question: In the recruitment and hiring process, the skills to show others how they matter should be part of the evaluation process.

Laura Topor: So if we don't have social learning, what happens to the next generations that have grown up with the devices?

This is happening to all generations who've been able to use digital tools for the past 25 years. First, we must relearn the skills to see, hear, and value one another, and we must make the choice to invest in reskilling people to care in organizations.

Keep the questions coming, and let’s get ready for our next meaningful conversation with Newton Cheng, vocal advocate for mental wellbeing at work.

Next Up: Strong Enough at Work with Newton Cheng

In today’s workplace, too many people feel overwhelmed, burned out, or like they’re barely holding it together. But what if the most courageous act is admitting that, and choosing to stay?

Join us in August for our next Wellbeing at Work LinkedIn Live, part of our ongoing partnership with the Workplace Wellbeing Initiative of the Global Wellness Institute. We’ll be joined by Newton Cheng, Director of Health and Performance at Google, world-class powerlifter, and passionate advocate for mental health and sustainable success.

Newton brings a rare combination of vulnerability and insight into what it really takes to thrive at work today.

Tune in for a chance to win a copy of my book, Workplace Wellness That Works, and to hear a conversation you won’t want to miss. RSVP here.

ABOUT LAURA PUTNAM

Laura Putnam is a workplace wellbeing expert, author of the bestselling book, Workplace Wellness That Works, former CEO of Motion Infusion and now Chief Learning Officer at Upli. Over the past 17 years, she’s helped over 500 organizations reimagine wellness by connecting it to culture and leadership. Subscribe to Laura’s newsletter to get 4 tangible ideas each month to infuse wellbeing at work and at home.