Is Purpose the Most Underused Asset in Business?

Have we become so obsessed with building fast that we've forgotten why we're building at all? This question lingered with me after reading Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams - a compelling business memoir that delves into the inner workings of Facebook (Meta). In it, she writes:

"We build faster than we think. And sometimes, in our speed, we forget what we were building for."

That idea stuck with me.

Because in a world of rapid transformation, where the future of work is defined by shifting technologies, hybrid environments, and constant change, it’s easy to lose sight of purpose. We prioritise performance and efficiency, but what about meaning? What about the why?

Simon Sinek captured it well in Start With Why:

“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”

But purpose isn’t just a marketing slogan.

• Employees don’t stay for what you do, they stay for why.
• Organisations don’t endure because of scale, they endure because of belief.
• And leaders don’t inspire through tactics alone, they inspire through meaning.

When purpose is missing, performance can become hollow. And that’s why I believe purpose may be the most underused asset in business today.

When Purpose is Missing

We’ve seen what happens when purpose erodes.

In Lights Out, Thomas Gryta and Ted Mann tell the story of General Electric, an iconic company once known for building great things but which lost its way as it shifted focus to quarterly targets and financial engineering. One former executive said it plainly:

“It stopped being about building great things. It started being about hitting the number.”

When the why becomes secondary to the what, even the most respected companies can lose their edge. Performance untethered from purpose is rarely sustainable.

The Science of Purpose

In today’s evolving work environment marked by hybrid work, endless Teams calls, the emergence of GenAI tools, and shifting employee expectations - a clear sense of purpose is increasingly recognised as essential for both individual well-being and organisational success.

And the science backs this up.

Recent studies suggest that people with a strong sense of purpose experience fewer negative emotions and physical symptoms when faced with daily stressors, even if the stress itself doesn’t change. Purpose acts like an internal shock absorber, helping people navigate daily challenges (Annals of Behavioral Medicine).

It goes deeper than just feeling good. A sense of purpose has been linked to faster recovery from stress, including quicker reductions in cortisol levels and heart rate variability—physiological markers of resilience (Journal of Psychosomatic Research).

Beyond biology, purpose provides what psychologists call “cognitive coherence”—a sense that daily work connects to something bigger, guiding people through uncertainty and complexity. This concept is captured in Park’s Meaning Making Model (Park, 2010), which shows how meaning-making frameworks help people thrive, even amid chaos.

These insights suggest that purpose is not just a “nice to have”, it’s a performance driver in a world where change is constant.

Purpose as a Performance Driver

The organisational benefits are equally compelling.

McKinsey research shows that employees who feel connected to their organisation’s purpose are four times more engaged and five times more likely to stay (McKinsey, 2020). Gallup and Deloitte similarily link purpose to higher innovation, stronger team performance, and deeper trust.

Yet, according to research by PwC, only a third of executives say their organisations fully activate purpose beyond a branding exercise. Most have purpose statements. Far fewer have purpose systems, the ways that embed it into decisions, culture, and daily work.

It seems like a missed opportunity, treating purpose as a source of competitive advantage in an ever-changing world.

The Curious Leader: How to Activate Purpose

So how do leaders unlock this underused asset?

Purpose cannot be left to chance. It needs to be woven into a system. A set of interconnected practices that embed it in the daily work, decisions and culture of the organisation.

Here are five ways you can start building a purpose system:

• Start every decision with why. In meetings, trade-offs and project kick-offs, explicitly connect back to the mission so purpose becomes the starting point, not an afterthought.
• Use purpose as a decision filter. When faced with options, ask: “Which choice best aligns with why we exist?” It is a way to ensure short-term actions stay in sync with long-term values.
• Tell stories that make purpose real. Stories turn purpose from an abstract idea into lived experience. Highlight how purpose shows up in daily actions, customer interactions and team achievements.
• Recognise values-driven behaviour. Purpose becomes real when it is rewarded. Celebrate decisions and actions that align with purpose, not just financial metrics, so people see what is truly valued.
• Create rituals that reinforce purpose. From onboarding journeys to team huddles, rituals keep purpose visible in the rhythm of work, reminding people that it is not just what we do, but why we do it.

In the future of work—where roles evolve and expectations shift—these consistent practices ensure that purpose isn’t just a slogan, but a cultural backbone.

The Big Picture

So, is purpose the most underused asset in business? I think it may be.

The future of work won’t just belong to the fastest or most technologically advanced organisations. It will belong to those who are also the most anchored. When people feel part of something bigger, they don’t just show up. We know they engage, innovate, and adapt.

Purpose isn’t the soft stuff. It’s the stuff that holds everything else together.

Stay curious.

Disclaimer: These are my personal reflections, drawn from my reading, lived experiences and curiosity about how organisations can thrive in the future of work. They do not represent the views of my employer.

About “The Curious Leader” Exploring leadership, transformation, and the future of work powered by a healthy dose of curiosity and caffeine. Each piece draws on lived experiences, practical insights, and real-world examples to spark conversation and share what’s working (or what’s not) in the evolving world of work.

About the Author Chris Purdy is a workplace futurist and transformation leader, passionate about building high-performing, inclusive teams. With experience leading global people and business transformations, he’s dedicated to helping people and organisations thrive in ever-changing environments.