"Our institutions, our governments, and even our nations are radically evolving. Everything is in transition and far less permanent than we imagine." —Aaron Hurst, The Purpose Economy
Just as the Information Economy supplanted the Industrial Economy, and the Industrial Economy supplanted the Agrarian Economy before it, a new economy is upon us.
Aaron Hurst defines our emerging economic phase as the “Purpose Economy," and top executives have taken notice.
"Emerging leaders are looking for one thing above all else in a career: purpose," says Liz Maw, President of Net Impact—a global trade association of business professionals with thousands of members.
"To attract top talent, it is imperative for employers to understand that the game has changed and the economy with it."
The market for labor is now global and increasingly virtual. Employees stay at a job for 4.5 years on average, compared our past of lifetime employment at a single company. We all are becoming defacto freelancers, navigating this uncertainty in every direction.
Space Matters — Mashore Perspective
The current workforce is experiencing an unprecedented career instability caused by worldwide economic structural changes. These shifts have created a desire for security and a future path within ourselves, instead of from an employer. Purpose, rather than career longevity, now provides the career stability we need.
The current workforce is seeking three things:
- Legacy. The project, job, or career that will make a difference in their lives and the lives of others
- Mastery. A deepening of skills, strengths, and talents that they feel help define their identity; the increasing responsibility that comes with expertise and experience
- Freedom. Appropriate payment is important, but today’s workforce values control and choice (i.e., remote work, flexible hours, and high-quality benefits) more than just the size of the paycheck
Last week, we revisited “flow” (def. optimal state of consciousness where we feel our best and perform our best; “in the zone” moments; our sense of time, and of self, vanishes, and our focus gets so intense that mental and physical performance go through the roof).
I suggested that—whether or not we chose to attend Burning Man this summer—we should heed the compelling evidence from Silicon Valley, the Pentagon, Elon Musk, Richard Branson: look for spaces that promote “flow” or “non-ordinary states” for ourselves and our communities.
Our emerging Purpose Economy demands powerful workplaces where work, space, and people are seamlessly linked and mutually dependent. Your workspace should further your unique mission; increase visibility; inspire action; support the way your staff works; and be a catalyst to drive extraordinary results.
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