What’s your Purpose?

And what does it look like when it shows up at work?

Purpose has become one of those words that shows up in slide decks, brand films, and CEO town halls. We hear about purpose-driven leadership, purpose-led culture, purpose-aligned goals.

But take away the comms — the campaigns, the pledges, the internal hashtags — and you’re left with a more important question.

Do people actually know why they do what they do?

Not in theory. In practice. In the middle of a busy week. On the train. In the moment they choose to try again, or not.

That’s what purpose is. It’s not a statement. It’s a spark. The thing that makes something feel like it matters.

Personal purpose is emotional. Organisational purpose should be clear. When people talk about purpose, they often mean slightly different things.

For individuals, purpose is deeply personal. It’s about values, belief, direction. For organisations, purpose is simpler — or should be. It’s the reason you exist. The problem you’re here to solve. The difference you’re trying to make.

Purpose isn’t to deliver shareholder value or to increase EBITDA. That’s an outcome. A by-product. Purpose comes before the metrics. It’s what makes the metrics worth pursuing.

Get it right, and it becomes an internal compass. A way to align people, cut through noise, and create momentum. Get it wrong, and you risk sounding well-meaning but empty — especially if what’s said isn’t matched by how people are treated.

Purpose is connection. Not uniformity.

Your purpose and your organisation’s purpose don’t have to be identical. But they do have to resonate.

When people can see how their work links to something that matters — even loosely — it creates clarity. Flow. Energy. That quiet click between “I’m doing a task” and “I understand why it counts.”

It reduces ambiguity. It builds trust. It makes work feel like it’s moving, not just grinding forward.

That doesn’t happen through posters or taglines. It happens through stories. Through good managers. Through honest conversations about what matters and why.

What does purpose sound like?

It sounds like someone explaining the “why” behind a decision.

It sounds like a team asking, “Does this still matter?” before jumping to execution.

It sounds like someone choosing to stay a bit longer because they believe they’re contributing to something real.

You can feel when purpose is present, even if no one says the word.

And you can absolutely feel when it’s missing.

What’s ours?

At Hiyu, our purpose is simple. We want to help people feel connected. To themselves, to their work, to each other.

We believe clarity, honesty and human-centred communication are how that connection grows. That’s why we spend our time helping organisations articulate their purpose, leaders communicate it meaningfully, and employees find their own sense of place inside it.

It’s not about slogans. It’s about stories. It’s about belief. And alignment. And saying things like you mean them.

Oliver Wendell Holmes once said,

“Most of us go to our graves with our music still inside us, unplayed.”

Purpose helps people start playing it. At work. In life. Wherever they are.