As people “return to work” during the COVID-19 pandemic, employers should be ready to address a hidden issue: a meaning deficit. Historically, every significant disruption of how we work inflicted profound distress flamed by existential crises and the search for meaningfulness. At the height of the second Industrial Revolution, in 1897, sociologist David Émile Durkheim … Read more
Think about the first time you realized you mattered. What happened? How did you feel? Chances are your moment of mattering impacted and moved you. Most likely, you felt important because of what someone else said or did. Feeling significant is a basic human desire and a critical factor for mental, emotional, and physical well-being in life, school, and … Read more
I was in the parking lot at my kids’ daycare when I got the notification. I looked down at my phone, and nausea returned. The first word of the e-mail subject line read, “Canceled.” It was the latest in a string of messages that obliterated my false sense of stability, security, and purpose. A big … Read more