what employees really value

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Welcome back to House of Leadership. We explore what it really takes to grow and lead successfully in a fast-paced, high-performance environment. We go beyond metrics to talk about influence, visibility, mindset, and the habits that separate good from great. Whether you're climbing the ladder or helping others do the same, you'll find practical insights to elevate your impact.

🔎 What We’ll Learn in Today’s Newsletter

• Why communicating purpose makes change easier to absorb.

• How supporting mastery builds confidence in new ways of working.

• The role of connection during team shifts or transitions.

• Why preserving stability helps people stay grounded.

• How to help teams rediscover meaning in their roles.

• Key leadership questions to drive people-first change.

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I’ve been thinking a lot lately about change — how we plan for it, how we lead through it, and most importantly, how it feels to be on the receiving end of it. Whether it’s reorganising a team, rolling out a new tool, or shifting priorities, change is one of the few constants in our work. But how we do change — that’s what sets great organisations apart.

As leaders, we often think in terms of structure, efficiency, and outcomes. And those are important. But I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that real, lasting impact comes when we understand what people truly value — and we shape change with those things in mind.

Today, I want to explore five things that I believe employees care deeply about: purpose, mastery, connection, stability, and meaning. When we consider these human needs, we lead with more empathy, more clarity, and more trust.

1. Purpose: “Why are we doing this?”

Purpose isn’t fluff. It’s not a slide in a deck or a line on a mug. It’s the heartbeat of motivation. People want to know that their work matters — that it contributes to something larger than themselves.

When we introduce a change — whether big or small — we have to anchor it in purpose. Not just what we’re doing, but why. Why are we changing the way we handle customer handoffs? Why are we merging teams? Why are we tightening focus in certain areas?

Without a clear “why,” change feels arbitrary. With it, change feels like progress.

Takeaway for leaders: Don’t assume your team sees the bigger picture. Make the purpose behind change explicit, repeat it often, and connect it back to the company’s mission, values and the customer impact. When people understand the "why," they’re far more likely to get behind the "how."

2. Mastery: “Let me get good at this.”

One of the most motivating forces at work is the ability to develop and improve. People want to feel competent — and they want the opportunity to stretch, learn, and grow.

Too often, we throw people into change without equipping them. We assume that because the change is important, people will naturally catch on. But that's not how mastery works.

If we’re changing tools, workflows, roles, or expectations, we have to give people time and support to adapt. This means training, coaching, shadowing, feedback loops, and yes — patience.

Takeaway for leaders: Ask yourself, “Have I given my team the time, space, and support to get good at this new thing?” If not, that change will likely result in frustration, not progress. Build change plans with learning in mind.

3. Connection: “Who am I doing this with?”

People stay — and thrive — because of people. It’s the relationships that get us through the hard days and the trust we build that allows us to take risks.

Change often disrupts these connections. Reporting lines shift, teams get split up, and sometimes we forget to acknowledge the emotional side of that.

I’ve seen people struggle not because they disagreed with the change itself, but because they lost a sense of belonging in the process. The coffee chats, the peer they’d brainstorm with, the sense of “my team” — it matters. Deeply.

Takeaway for leaders: When making change, don’t just think in terms of structure — think in terms of community. Ask yourself, “How will this impact people’s sense of connection?” and take steps to strengthen team bonds through the transition.

4. Stability: “Can I still trust what’s around me?”

Ironically, even when people want change, they still need stability. It might sound like a contradiction, but it’s not.

People can handle a lot of uncertainty if a few things remain clear and consistent — expectations, values, how decisions are made, and how leaders show up.

When we change too many things at once, or don’t communicate clearly, we accidentally create instability. That’s when you see confusion, disengagement, or even fear.

Takeaway for leaders: Provide consistency where you can. If you're introducing something new, reinforce what's staying the same. Communicate clearly and consistently — even if the update is “we don’t have all the answers yet, but here’s what we’re thinking.” That builds trust.

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5. Meaning: “Does this still make sense for me?”

This one is deeply personal. Every employee has their own story — their background, aspirations, and reasons for doing what they do. When change happens, people instinctively ask: “Do I still see myself here? Does this direction align with who I want to be?”

Sometimes, even well-executed change prompts people to leave. That’s not always a failure — it’s part of a healthy ecosystem. But for those who stay, helping them find new meaning in their work is critical.

Takeaway for leaders: Don’t treat change as a one-size-fits-all experience. Check in with individuals. Ask how they’re feeling, what they’re hoping for, what worries them. Help them reframe their role and reconnect with what matters most to them.

So what does this mean for us?

As we look ahead — and as we continue evolving how we work, how we serve customers, and how we grow — I want us to lead with these values in mind.

Change doesn’t have to mean burnout or disengagement. When done well, it can be a catalyst for renewed energy, learning, and connection. But that only happens when we take the time to lead it with empathy and intention.

Let’s keep asking ourselves:

• Are we clearly communicating why this matters?

• Are we supporting people to build mastery in new skills or tools?

• Are we nurturing connection within and across teams?

• Are we providing enough stability through uncertainty?

• Are we helping people find meaning in their evolving roles?

These are the questions that build great cultures. These are the questions that protect our people, even as we push ourselves to grow.

One final thought

Change is hard. But it’s also an opportunity — not just for the business, but for each of us as leaders.

If you’re leading a team through transition right now, take a moment to pause and look beyond the project plan. Think about how it feels to go through this as an individual. What would you need? What would you value?

Then lead from that place.

People don’t remember every announcement or policy change. But they remember how their leader made them feel during uncertain times. They remember who listened, who explained, who supported, who stood steady.

Let’s be the kind of leaders people remember for the right reasons.

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