Category: Insights and Resources

How to know if your employer is serious about helping you find purpose in your work

This article was originally written for The Conversation and co-written with Elisa Alt. Paychecks are important, of course, but many people also want their work to “matter”. Whether this means helping people in your local area, or contributing to a global cause like reducing waste and fighting the climate crisis, 70% of respondents to a 2020 survey said their personal […]

January 28, 2024
Closing the ‘subjective impact gap’: How social enterprises can motivate and retain talent by overcoming doubts about their impact

This article was originally written for The Next Billion. Social enterprises are increasingly lauded as an important mechanism to address development and climate challenges in low- and middle-income countries. Not only do they aim to tackle specific social and ecological issues that are at the core of their missions, but they also catalyse positive impact through […]

January 28, 2024
Giving employees a sense of purpose requires infrastructure. Here’s how to build it for yourself and others

This article was originally written for Quartz. Purpose-driven workers want to make a difference. Here are 5 ways to build the systems to support success. Individuals turn to purpose-driven work to contribute to social and ecological goals they care about and align with their values, motivations, and identities. Their work is not constrained by job titles, such as sustainability […]

January 28, 2024
Recently self-employed? Six tips on how to protect your wellbeing

This article was originally written for The Conversation and co-written with Kristin Hildenbrand and Mike Duffy. Through choice or by necessity, some of us are becoming self-employed for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence from multiple countries suggests that self-employed workers are one of the groups hardest hit by the pandemic. Support offered by governments varies. Yet, […]

January 28, 2024
Doing Good / Staying Well: A wellbeing toolkit

The “Doing Good / Staying Well” toolkit provides social entrepreneurs with tools to reflect, plan, and make changes to maintain and protect their wellbeing, which can ultimately lead to sustainable social ventures that catalyse positive social change.

February 3, 2023
Working for impact but failing to experience work as impactful

We assume that individuals in purpose-driven organisations subjectively experience their work as impactful. But, is that the case? When do they question if their work is impactful? How do they respond to such questioning? And with what consequences?

February 3, 2023
When it is more complex than “Just ask”: Purpose-driven entrepreneurs and asking for feedback

“Seek feedback!” is a mantra that entrepreneurs hear all the time. It is at the core of the lean start-up method. But how do social entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of seeking feedback?

February 3, 2023
Finding the right person: How social entrepreneurs decide whom to approach for interpersonal feedback

Feedback is useful to social entrepreneurs, yet not easily accessible. How can social entrepreneurs decide whom to approach for feedback?

February 3, 2023