The Pie: An Economics Podcast Finding Your Why at Work: The Economics of Purpose
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Sep 16, 2025 Virginia Minni, an assistant professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, explores the impact of personal purpose on workplace motivation. She reveals insights from a trial with 3,000 employees who attended a 'Discover Your Purpose' workshop, highlighting how individual meaning can boost productivity. Minni discusses the surprising benefits, including improved satisfaction and team cohesion, and emphasizes that connecting personal goals to work not only enhances fulfillment but also drives better business outcomes.
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Work Shapes Life Significance
- Workers spend most waking hours at work, so meaning at work shapes lives significantly.
- Treating work as a source of personal significance can influence motivation and well-being.
Four Stories Build A Purpose Statement
- The workshop uses four personal stories to uncover purpose: childhood joy, hardship, success, and current sparks.
- Participants synthesize these into a short personal purpose statement to carry forward.
Firework Artist Reframes Meetings
- A senior HR manager described his purpose as being a "firework artist" linking meetings to coordinating people.
- That reframing turned disliked meetings into central, meaningful parts of his role.
