Bringing Purpose Alive in the Organization: Activating Role of the CEO and CHRO

Insights for What’s Ahead

• A corporate purpose that is clear and meaningful to employees is a strategic imperative for organizations to attract and retain motivated workers, making work meaningful and guiding behavior and decision-making.
• Corporate purpose doesn’t automatically infuse culture or drive workplace behavior and action. Embedding purpose into the cultural DNA of the organization requires a strong partnership between the CEO and the CHRO, the two main stewards of cultural transformation.
• Creating a purpose-based culture entails leadership, communication, and dialogue. Activating the purpose requires the CEO and C-suite leaders to spell out how purpose drives business strategy, goals, and cultural values, then provide varied ways for employees to connect with the purpose. Through this two-pronged effort, purpose becomes personally meaningful to employees and a guiding influen