In times of disruption, our purpose may matter the most.

Disruption has been a popular buzzword in business for a while...in a good way. It has helped advance needed and important changes in business and culture.

But now disruption has been thrust upon us at a size, scale and depth we couldn’t have imagined. We all need to find something to ground us and help us lead as professionals. 

While we transition into fall, I’ve been reflecting about the last several months and the challenges it has brought. Purpose has helped me make sense of my personal and professional roles, while giving me clarity and fulfillment. At PwC, our purpose -- to build trust in society and solve important problems -- anchors us, guides our decision-making and helps us to support our people in the ways they need most. 

Here are three ways I’ve seen purpose guide our firm through this time of intense disruption.

Purpose helps puts people first

While most of us are working from home, as leaders, we need to acknowledge that what’s happening right now isn’t exactly a flexible working environment. Rather, it is an environment where we should be flexible. 

In prioritizing people-first programs, we help create a more workable environment that can respond to the realities of our current environment with kids at home, spouses with lost jobs, elderly parents, sick family members, for example. Right now, we’re focused on enhancing flexibility so that our working parents can maintain their careers while providing for children who are likely going to be learning remotely. 

We’ve recently been challenged to reduce virtual meetings by 25% and to have no-video-call-Fridays to add some time to our days to recharge or focus on family matters. For some, these flexible alternatives may not be enough, so we’ve also enhanced caregiver benefits such as the option to take a sabbatical for four weeks to six months, work a reduced schedule or explore job sharing. 

These measures also help support staff and can ultimately improve engagement, boost employee satisfaction and inspire loyalty and productivity.

Purpose helps build community in a virtual workplace

Our firm has been shifting to a flexible and virtual workplace over the last decade - trusting our people to find work-life flexibility. Throughout this shift, one thing I’ve learned is how important it is to be intentional about building community and a sense of inclusion and belonging among remote teams. Without the benefit of body language and in-person team-building, potential misunderstandings and unintended tension can easily crop up. That may be especially likely these days given current events and increasing demands at home, which may cause higher stress levels for many.

We’ve taken small and easy, but intentional actions to help foster a sense of connection, teamwork, belonging and shared purpose when physically working apart. Some of our teams eat lunch together over video chat and have one rule – no talk about work. Others decide they’re all going to go for a walk while they’re on a conference call, which is a good way to loosen up and fuel our physical energy (as part of our Be well, work well program). As a firm we’re also continuing to introduce new, fun tools to encourage our people to bring their authentic selves to work, including how we introduce ourselves on calls. 

Little steps like these can go a long way to building that sense of trust, belonging and camaraderie that is critically important to have among teams and colleagues doing purposeful work.

Double down on prioritizing individual purpose

What is your why? Where do you find fulfillment? Find ways to support your people in answering those questions and enable them to act on their individual purpose. Doing so can provide fulfillment and clarity in not only the personal roles they play, but also in their professional role. 

One way we encourage our people to live their purpose is through our Responsible Business Leadership programs and enabling them to make meaningful impacts in our communities. An example is through a collaboration with the non-profit CareerVillage.org, a virtual platform where underrepresented youth can post career questions for professionals to answer. In fact, answers posted by PwCers in response to student questions have been viewed 1.6 million times! 

For many of our people, engaging in mentoring opportunities like that through CareerVillage.org has been particularly meaningful. I recently heard of one PwC professional whose family immigrated to the US when she was young. She recalled not having a mentor to help her navigate college and career questions as she was the first in her family to graduate high school. She was one of the hundreds of PwCers who gave their time to help guide the next generation through similar questions. This confirms not only that people want to tap into their individual purpose by sharing their knowledge and passion – but that there is a true sense of fulfillment and value that comes out of it. 

COVID-19 has created a seismic shift in the way business and people interact and may likely continue doing so for the foreseeable future. But this shift can also provide us with an opportunity to explore our why...our purpose, and this should energize us - and the people we lead - especially in times we need it most.