> Track 13 - Organizational Purpose, Personal Purpose, Meaning at Work and Meaning of Work: Intrinsic Engagement and Managerial & HR Levers

Track 13 – Purpose, Reason for Being Involved, Meaning at Work and Meaning of Work: Intrinsic Engagement, Managerial and HR Levers

Coordinators:

• Richard J. Major

• Christophe Bonnet

• Nathalie Commeiras

• Audrey Rivière

• Eric Gautier-Laurent

• Catherine Voynnet Fourboul

The meaning that each individual constructs in their relationship with work is both an end in itself and a condition for their engagement in collective action (Autissier & Wacheux, 2008). Indeed, meaning maintains strong links with job satisfaction and work motivation (Chalofsky & Krishna, 2009), but also with quality of life and well-being at work (Michelson, 2005; Morin & Gagné, 2009; Frémeaux, 2014; Abord de Chatillon & Richard, 2015; Commeiras et al., 2022b; Tahri & Elkadiri, 2016; Cabras & Lacan, 2024).

The contemporary relevance of questions relating to organizational purpose and meaning at work is evidenced by the growing number of recent publications (Coutrot & Perez, 2022), whether academic or managerial (for a recent literature review, see Bonnet et al., 2025). The search for meaning, which particularly drives younger generations at work (Seccia & Tran, 2025), leads HR managers to reconsider their policies, practices and processes. Today, younger generations seek work that is meaningful rather than simply a job (Guillot-Soulez & Pezet, 2020). The quest for meaning guides recruitment candidates toward certain organizations and away from others, and shapes decisions to stay in or leave a company. In this context, the most attractive companies, according to Charbonnier-Voirin and Vignolles (2016), would be those offering more meaning than money.

The theme of purpose and meaning in the world of work receives particular attention in academic production, mainstream media, and professional publications. Research themes around purpose (Gautier-Laurent, 2020; Gautier-Laurent et al., 2023) and meaning benefit from growing interest in management sciences, as evidenced by the number of recent books and book chapters addressing this issue (see Commeiras et al., 2022a; Orly-Louis & Arnoux-Nicolas, 2022; Hussenot, 2022; Cabras & Lacan, 2024; Voynnet-Fourboul & Latour, 2025). Other scientific productions confirm the relevance of this research theme (Moisson & Gardody, 2021; Nande et al., 2023; Moretti & Frimousse, 2023). Beyond management sciences, research in economics (Coutrot & Perez, 2022), philosophy (Girard, 2018), health (Charles-Leija et al., 2023), and psychology (Lemoine, 2023; Lenain, 2023) confirms the current importance of this field.

In work sciences, the notion of meaning has still not been fully clarified (Nande et al., 2023), and a certain confusion still surrounds the concept (Orly-Louis & Arnoux-Nicolas, 2022), notably due to its polysemy and degree of abstraction.

In management sciences, a definition of meaning in work is proposed by Pratt and Ashforth (2003). Built notably on social identity theory, it offers a solid framework (see Morin, 2008, 2010a, 2010b; Commeiras et al., 2022a). Considering both the sense of belonging (which social group I belong to) and the social role played (what I do), this definition rests on a fundamental distinction between meaning at work and meaning of work.

Meaning at work refers to the work environment and the relationships experienced there, contributing to the being dimension of the individual, whereas meaning of work refers to tasks, activities and responsibilities (ibid.), contributing to the doing dimension. Meaning corresponds to the employee’s perception of their relationship with the organization and what they do within it (Dreyfus & Rascol-Boutard, 2022; Wrzesniewski, 2003). Meaning at work has a collective dimension insofar as it includes adhesion and commitment to a collective project, whereas meaning of work relates more to an individual dimension — personal purpose and the meaning each person assigns to their work (Ashforth & Pratt, 2003; Wrzesniewski, 2003).

These conceptual issues influence the way organizations integrate measures encouraging the creation and perception of meaning into their HR policies. More collective in nature, meaning at work is a favored managerial lever, frequently mentioned in the promotion of Well-Being at Work (WBW) and/or Quality of Work Life and Working Conditions (QWL). In contrast, meaning of work generally remains a blind spot in HR systems. Yet WBW and QWL could concern both the collective dimension of work relationships and environment, as well as the individual dimension of how prescribed work is carried out.

Within this track, contributors may present empirical and/or theoretical research results addressing employees’ perceptions and/or experiences of:

1. Purpose - personal or organizational

2. Reason for being involved - commitment to the organization’s project

3. Meaning at work

4. Meaning of work

as well as the impact of these perceptions and experiences on well-being and engagement, and the managerial and HR actions that foster these perceptions and experiences. Illustrations from diverse sectors and professional environments are welcome.

Contributions may be grouped into reflection streams linked to the questions proposed in the AGRH Limoges conference call:

1. Organizational and HR Strategies within a Territory

Approaches to purpose and meaning at/of work may stem from a shared intention to generate a specific sense within a given territory. How do actors share or pool their programs and mechanisms to generate meaning rooted in a territorial identity? How are these dynamics constructed both within companies and local institutions? What shared logics and tools are implemented?

2. Territorial Social Responsibility (TSR) and Human Resource Management (HRM)

The territorial co-construction of HR solutions relies on shared meaning and collaboration among local authorities, companies, associations, training institutions and social partners. What meaning does this approach carry, aiming to create HR responses adapted to the economic, social and cultural specificities of the territory? How can actors ground this collaboration in an identified, formalized and shared local sense of purpose?

3. Leadership and Meaning-Creating Management

What types of leadership and management foster engagement? What is — or would be — the role of the middle manager in generating meaning? How can the manager be considered a primary actor in promoting individual and collective meaning creation? What would be the manager’s role in recognizing employees’ meaning-making processes?

4. Partner Value Creation through HR Innovation

HR innovation is no longer limited to internal company practices; it is embedded in a territorial ecosystem, in connection with societal, environmental and economic concerns of the territory. It takes on its full meaning when conceived as a lever of territorial social responsibility and as an active contribution of organizations to the sustainable and equitable development of their local environment. How can technological innovation and human proximity be combined in territorial HR policies? How can HR departments across different companies and institutions collectively become a vector generating shared meaning in service of the territory? What mechanisms can be implemented to reconcile organizational performance and societal meaning at the territorial level?

Naturally, any contribution that more generally questions the notions of purpose, reason for being involved, meaning at work, meaning of work, as well as well-being and engagement in corporate and public institutional contexts, is welcome.

Indicative bibliography

Abord de Chatillon, E., & Richard, D. (2015). Du sens, du lien, de l’activité et du confort (SLAC) : Proposition pour une modélisation des conditions du bien-être au travail par le SLAC, Revue Française de Gestion, 249, 53-71.

Autissier, D. & Wacheux, F. (2008). Manager par le sens. Les clés de l’implication au travail. Eyrolles. Editions d’organisation

Bonnet, C., Juban, J.-Y. et Major, R.-J. (2025). Bien-être au travail et spiritualité : vers une proposition conceptuelle actionnable en GRH. Revue internationale de psychosociologie et de gestion des comportements organisationnels – RIPCO, XXXI(86), 39-61.

Coutrot, T. & Perez, C. (2022). Redonner du sens au travail. Une aspiration révolutionnaire. Editions du Seuil, la République des Idées.

Chalofsky, N., & Krishna, V. (2009). Meaningfulness, commitment, and engagement: The intersection of a deeper level of intrinsic motivation. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 11(2), 189–203. 

Charbonnier-Voirin, A. et Vignolles, A. (2015). Marque employeur interne et externe Un état de l’art et un agenda de recherche. Revue française de gestion, 246(1), 63-82.

Charles-Leija, H., Castro, C. Toledo, M. C., & Ballesteros, R. (2023). Meaningful Work, Happiness at Work, and Turnover Intentions. International Journal of Environnemental Research and Public Heath (IJERPH),  20(4):3565

Commeiras, N., Fabre, C., Loose, F., Loubès, A. & Rascol-Boutard, S. (2022a), Le sens au travail Enjeux de gestion et de société. EMS Éditions.

Commeiras N., Rivière A. et Bourdil-Resch M. (2022b), « Sens au Travail, un vecteur de santé au travail : le cas de l’hôpital », in Commeiras N., Fabre C., Loose F., Loubès A. et Rascol-Boutard S. (coord.), Sens au travail. Enjeux de gestion et débats de société, EMS collection Questions de société.

Coutrot, T. & Perez, C. (2022). Redonner du sens au travail. Une aspiration révolutionnaire. Editions du Seuil, la République des Idées.

Dreyfuss, L. & Rascol-Boutard, S. (2022) . Chapitre 10. Le(s) sens du/au travail et ses représentations : des perspectives nourries à travers The Good Wife. In Coordonné par Commeiras, N. et al, (dir.), Le sens au travail Enjeux de gestion et de société. (p. 31-88). EMS Éditions.

Frémeaux, S. (2014). Sens au travail et management du travail. Dissertation d’Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches, Université de Nantes, 2014.

Gautier-Laurent E. (2020). La raison d'être authentique, B Books on demand.

Gautier-Laurent E., Moriez, D., Fourboul, C. (2022). Raison d’être des organisations : une formulation émanant de l’identité organisationnelle. Question(s) de management. n° 41.

Girard, B. (2018). Leçons pour (re)donner du sens à l’entreprise et au travail. Maxima. Laurent du Mesnil Editeur.

Guillot-Soulez, C. & Pezet, E. (2020). Marque employeur et travail expérientiel. La GRH dans l’économie des marques. Vuibert.

Hussenot, A. (2022). Pourquoi travailler ? Place et rôle du travail dans un monde en mutation, Editions EMS, 2022.

Lemoine, C. (2023). Motivation, engagement et sens du travail. Le Journal des Psychologues, 402(1), 30 34.

Lenain, L. (2023). L’éternel retour de la quête de sens au travail ou le vertige des possibles. Le Journal des Psychologues, 402(1), 25 29.

Michelson, C. (2005). Meaningful motivation for work motivation theory. Academy of Management Review, n° 30, p. 235-238.

Moisson, V. & Gardody, J. (2021) . Le rôle du cadre de santé dans la perte et la (re)construction de sens au travail à l’hôpital. Une étude exploratoire par entretiens semi-directifs auprès du personnel soignant. RIMHE : Revue Interdisciplinaire Management, Homme & Entreprise, n° 42, vol. 10(1), 49-68.

Moretti, R. & Frimousse, S. (2023) . Développer le pouvoir d’agir des praticiens hospitaliers, pour « bien faire » et impacter : le cas du centre hospitalier Calvi-Balagne. Revue internationale de psychosociologie et de gestion des comportements organisationnels - RIPCO, Vol. XXIX(79), 55-84.

Morin, E. (2008). Sens du travail, santé mentale et engagement organisationnel, Etudes et recherches/Rapport R-543, IRSST.

Morin, E. (2010a) . Prévenir la détresse, certes Promouvoir le bien-être psychologique, certainement ! Le Journal des psychologues, n° 283(10), 38-41.

Morin, E. (2010b). La santé mentale au travail : une question de gros bon sens. Gestion, 35 (3), 34-40.

Morin, E.M., et Gagné C., (2009). Donner un sens au travail : promouvoir le bien-être psychologique. Rapport de recherche scientifique, Institut de Recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail

Nande, F., Weber, M., Bouchet, S. & Loup, P. (2023) . La raison d’être des organisations, levier de sens au travail : proposition d’un modèle adapté de l’Ikigai. @GRH, N° 48(3), 39-63.

Orly-Louis, I., & Arnoux-Nicolas, C. (2022). Le sens des transitions et des bifurcations professionnelles, Editions In Press.

Pratt, M.G. & Ashforth B.E. (2003). Fostering meaningfulness in working and at work, In Cameron, K.S., Dutton J.E. & Quinn R.E (dir.), Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline, Berret-Koehler, San Francisco, p. 309-327.

Seccia, M. & Tran, A. (2025). Manager la génération Z dans les cabinets comp-tables : un défi pour l’engagement des jeunes talents. Communication pour le con-grès AGRH, Deauville, 22, 23 et 24 octobre 2025.

Tahri, W. & Elkadiri, I. (2016). Sensemaking et bien-être dans le contexte de changement organisationnel. Question(s) de management, n° 13(2), 73-85.

Voynnet-Fourboul, C. & Latour, S. (2025). Quand la RSE rencontre le sens et la spiritualité. Vers la responsabilité spirituelle des entreprises. Lightning.

Wrzesniewski, A., (2003). Finding positive meaning in work, In Cameron, K.S., Dutton J.E. & Quinn R.E (dir.), Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline, Berret-Koehler, San Francisco, p. 296-308.