Quiet quitting, the Great Resignation, chronically low engagement numbers, increasing numbers of labor disputes, demands for equity and dignity in the workplace—business leaders have been warily watching these trends for years and fighting each fire separately. But the trends continue, because leaders are missing the underlying problem that connects these symptoms: Many employees don’t feel that they matter to their employers, bosses, and colleagues. Mattering—a mainstay concept in psychology—is the experience of feeling significant to those around us because we feel valued and know that we add value. In this article the author shows leaders how to apply this concept in the workplace. First, leaders need to truly see and hear team members during daily interactions. They must also regularly affirm their people’s significance. And finally, senior leaders need to scale these skills up to the organizational level so that mattering becomes a cultural norm. These behaviors may seem like common sense, but they’ve ceased to be common practice in a world of brief digital communications and condescension toward soft skills, and they’re well worth relearning. The article includes three activities leaders can use to get started.
Read more here https://hbr.org/2025/05/the-power-of-mattering-at-work
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