5 Ways to Find Your Work Meaningful Even if Your Employer Isnt Mission Based

5 Ways to Find Your Work Meaningful Even if Your Employer Isnt Mission Based If youre in the 88 percent of millennials that believe its important to give back to the community, you might think that your workforce options to do just that rest solely with companies whose mission to make the world a better place is obvious. But you can find meaning even if you dont work for a nonprofit, social enterprise or Certified B Corporation. Unless youre working for a company that preys on its consumers in which case, run read on to find out how you and your company can help change the world right where you are.1. Remember that your company is making a difference.Perhaps the greatest social contribution your company can make is employing you and your colleagues. After all, it takes a paycheck to pay it forward to charitable causes. Even if your employer isnt headlining major volunteer efforts or social impact conferences, its showing up every day by giving you the freedom to make a difference with your money and your time off.2. Reframe the way you think about your work.Whether you sell tires or work in finance, your work matters. Instead of dichotomizing companies as mission-based or not, think of commerce itself as a social good and consider the specific role you play in advancing that social good. The happiest companies in the country weave a big picture approach into their brand and their culture, and its the reason their employees report such high satisfaction. For an example, look no further than one of NAFEs best companies for executive women, General Mills, which inscribes its mission on its cereal box tops We serve the world by making food people love. Cereal is something that General Mills consumers might consider a simple part of their morning ritual, but the company knows the breakfast favorite nourishes stomachs, delights the palate and acts for many as a staple at chaotic household breakfasts. Its part of the human experience, and the companys pursuit of qu ality to that end is a tafelgeschirr.3. See the value in your skills.Like the product or service your company provides, the copywriting or project management you employ at the office also has value even if it isnt directly saving the rainforest or eradicating poverty. Instead of landseeing your skills simply for their utility, such as the conversions they produced or the sales they delivered, think of them as art forms in themselves. There is beauty in the process of collaboration, as well as in the process of organization, communication, analysis, or any other skill that you might list on a resume. When done well, they improve the quality for the customers at the end of the process and advance your companys own unique way of serving the world. By choosing to see your job description as a celebration of the unique combination of gifts you can offer your company, you infuse meaning into your work.4. Instill good practices at your company.Regardless of where you sit on the corporate totem pole, you can help your company choose for good in everyday office life. If youd like to see more sustainable options in the communal kitchen, find out who manages the purchases and make an economic and environmental case for recycled paper products. If you meet resistance at this level, even having conversations with colleagues about your stainless steel straw can spark inspiration that travels further than you might realize.Similarly, if your employer doesnt have any corporate volunteering protocols in place yet, be the first to advocate for them whether that means introducing a charitable match, volunteering as a company for an issue tangential to your industry, or encouraging time off to volunteer. The same concept holds true for advancing company ethics, improving your products quality and implementing better systems for documentation and transparency.5. Create the company culture that you want to see.Beyond introducing specific initiatives at your workplace, you can adv ance a positive culture every day. Walk into work with a determination to leave the day better than you found it. Seek out the small steps you can take to foster collaboration, from the language you use in water cooler conversations to the decisions you make in team projects. Look for ways to marry coworkers talents to your own, encourage your colleagues to find ways to win together, and leverage your power to help those with less. You might not receive buy-in from everyone at the table, but you can clock out knowing you played your part.--Carmen Dahlberg is the founder of Belle motor city, L3C a creative agency that provides high-quality creative work to businesses by training and employing low-income Detroit moms.