A Simple Way to Inspire Your Team | David Burkus | TED

TL;DR

KPMG used storytelling and individual purpose to improve morale and engagement among their employees, resulting in significant positive impact.

Transcript

In 2014, KPMG's leadership had a problem. Accounting is boring. Apologies to any accountants in the room, but that really was the issue. The senior leadership of one of the world's premier accounting firms had been working for a while to improve morale and engagement across the nearly 30,000 employees of the firm. When they started, morale was in t... Read More

Key Insights

• 👀 Only about half of the employees at KPMG had a favorable opinion of the firm, highlighting the need for improved morale and engagement.
• 😐 KPMG's initial attempts at improving morale, such as perks and pay increases, had limited success, suggesting the need for a different approach.
• 🌟 KPMG decided to put purpose at the core of their engagement effort and launched the "We Shape History" campaign to tell stories of how the company had been involved in pivotal moments in world history.
• ✨ KPMG's storytelling campaign moved the needle a bit in terms of morale and engagement, but further steps were needed.
• 💡 Leaders often focus on a compelling answer to "why" in conveying an organization's purpose, but research shows that people are more motivated by a clear answer to "who" is served by their work.
• ⚙️ A study conducted at a university call center found that workers who met a student whose life had been positively impacted by their work showed a significant increase in productivity.
• 📢 KPMG launched the "10,000 Stories Challenge" to encourage employees to share how they were making a difference right now, resulting in over 42,000 stories and significant increases in morale and engagement.
• 🔑 The key to KPMG's success in fostering purpose and engagement was shifting the focus from a collective "why" to an individual "who" by helping each employee find a specific answer to the question of who is served by their work.

Questions & Answers

Q: What problem did KPMG's leadership face in 2014?

The senior leadership of KPMG faced low morale and engagement among its employees, with only about half of them having a favorable opinion of the firm.

Q: How did KPMG initially try to improve employee morale?

KPMG tried using standard methods such as perks, pay increases, more flexibility, and more opportunities to advance.

Q: Why did KPMG's initial efforts in improving morale level off?

The initial gains in employee morale leveled off because accounting and auditing, which are the main tasks in the firm, are often seen as boring and thankless jobs.

Q: How did KPMG decide to address the issue of low morale and engagement?

KPMG decided to put purpose at the core of their engagement effort by launching the "We Shape History" campaign to tell stories of how the firm had been involved in pivotal moments in world history.

Q: What was the purpose of the "10,000 Stories Challenge" launched by KPMG?

The "10,000 Stories Challenge" aimed to encourage employees to share their own stories of how they were making a difference through their work, shifting the focus from the collective purpose to the individual impact.

Q: What was the impact of the "10,000 Stories Challenge" on KPMG's employees?

The challenge resulted in a significant increase in morale and engagement across the whole company, with a total of 42,000 stories shared by employees.

Q: How did KPMG's approach to purpose differ from traditional methods?

Instead of focusing on a grandiose answer to the question "Why do we do what we do?", KPMG emphasized finding an answer to the question "Who is served by the work that we do?", thus making it more meaningful and personal for employees.

Q: What is the key takeaway about purpose in the workplace?

The key takeaway is that people want to do work that matters and feel valued. Leaders should focus on telling stories about the individuals who benefit from the work, rather than simply stating a collective purpose.

Summary & Key Takeaways

1. KPMG's leadership recognized the need to improve morale and engagement among their employees, as many had unfavorable opinions of the company.

2. To address this, KPMG launched a campaign called "We Shape History" to tell stories about the significant role they played in pivotal moments in history, highlighting how their work served a higher purpose.

3. KPMG then initiated the "10,000 Stories Challenge" where employees were encouraged to share their own stories about how they were making a difference through their work, resulting in increased morale and engagement.