The silent culture killer that is impacting your talent

Summary

Sanjay Lobo MBE argues that the real cause of widespread disengagement at work is a lack of authentic purpose, not the work itself. Despite flexible working, tech advances and CSR statements, many employees feel their roles lack meaning. The article explains how ‘performative purpose’ undermines trust and offers three practical ways to embed genuine purpose into everyday work: integrate CSR into daily flows, get leaders visibly involved, and use gamification to make impact actions simple and motivating.

Key Points

High disengagement exists despite employees enjoying their actual tasks; culture and lack of purpose are key drivers.
Performative purpose (PR-style pledges) breeds cynicism; purpose must be visible in daily workflows.
Integrate CSR into routine microactions so volunteering and sustainability feel effortless and relevant.
Leadership must visibly participate — executives volunteering alongside teams signals that purpose matters.
Gamification (points, leaderboards, challenges) can make small purpose-driven acts habitual and culturally contagious.

Content summary

Data cited (Gallup and others) shows huge global and UK disengagement, while many people still enjoy the work itself. The author frames purpose as a commercial necessity: it drives productivity, retention and culture. He warns against superficial communications and urges organisations to weave purpose into the daily way work gets done. Practical recommendations include embedding micro CSR activities into workflows, tracking and communicating impact metrics, ensuring leaders model behaviours, and using gamified incentives to increase participation and visibility. Examples and survey stats (OnHand) support these steps, and the piece closes with a call to make purpose effortless, visible and fun.

Context and relevance

This is relevant for HR leaders, managers and founders dealing with quiet quitting, retention issues and the productivity effects of AI and automation. As organisations automate routine tasks, preserving human meaning in roles becomes more important. The article aligns with broader trends emphasising purpose-driven employment and practical ESG action rather than PR. If you’re rethinking culture, engagement initiatives or CSR strategy, the tactics here map directly onto measurable, low-friction interventions.

Author style

Punchy — the author is direct and practical. If this subject matters to you, the piece makes a clear commercial argument for turning purpose from a slogan into everyday practice.

Why should I read this?

Because it tells you why your people might be checked-out even when they like their jobs — and gives three simple, tactical fixes you can start using tomorrow. Short on time? Skip the rhetoric and focus on integrating micro-actions, getting leaders to show up, and making impact a little bit competitive. That’s where you’ll actually move the needle.