How UBI Can Lead to Increase in Purposeful Work

Considering last week was Labour Day, a day when we are supposed to celebrate workers and fight for better working conditions, I feel this the perfect time to look again at what basic income could do for our economy.

Basic income. The opinions on the concept range widely with many top economists espousing its virtues and many conservatives seeing the overall cost as insurmountable.

With growing economic inequality and increasing automation of so many of our lower-wage jobs the need for some form of basic income is only going to grow.

Whether you are for or against it you have to agree that its successful introduction will dramatically change our work world—and I believe it will shift us in the right direction.

The COVID pandemic wreaked havoc on our economy and countless businesses saw themselves having to fold because of the effects. In order to rebuild we need a strong business market being run by established entrepreneurs.

The seed money provided by UBI will allow us to rebuild our economy in a better and healthier way by opening the door to purposeful work.

So many people dream of being their own boss with numerous reasons forming the base (control over hours and staff, easier commute, doing what they love or something important, etc.) but financial realities and constraints prevent them from taking that leap to entrepreneurship.

Offering a financial safety net will free some of our greatest minds and give them the push they need to explore ideas that will become tomorrow’s can’t-live-without products and services.

In a sense through UBI the government would be providing seed funding for thousands of entrepreneurs while eliminating application and rejection administration.

The good news is this isn’t a pipe dream and countless groups are working towards the implementation of basic income.

UBI Works is one of these bodies. A powerful board comprised of financial and social policy experts this collective is doing what it can behind the scenes to bring UBI to the forefront in Canada. We should support collectives like these as they are the ones who can help turn pipe dreams into legislature.

The fight to establish basic income has been hard and plagued with administrative and political setbacks. In order to really get it introduced we need a real show of public support to ensure the politicians have to listen.

Interested in joining the fight for UBI? On September 19 there will be a rally on Zoom in support of a basic income. Join the fight and together we’ll help pave the way to a better tomorrow.

The Power of Purposeful Work

So often new concepts come across as nothing more than buzz words, empty concepts designed to look like progress or change but really just regurgitating old norms.

This is not the case with purposeful work, which has the potential to bring true change to the workforce.

At its nature it was created to address our need to find meaning in our day-to-day lives and the word at large.

Used properly purposeful work will bring about the right kind of change. Let’s look at what it can do and what we should be doing to make the purposeful work movement more powerful.

First off, purposeful work will give the work world the revamp it desperately needs.

Workers today are often stressed and unmotivated, seeing an economy rigged to benefit the 1%. This is reducing employee engagement and increasing job dissatisfaction.

Purpose and purposeful work bring meaning and goodness to the business world. It turns the corporate world from a soulless profit maker to a powerful change bringer.

If you want to be excited about the work you’re doing and you want to look forward to what the next day brings then you want purposeful work to have a stronger presence in our marketplace.

Purposeful work can also radically improve our health.’

It shouldn’t be too surprising to learn that your job is linked to your health. It’s such a huge part of your life so it obviously has an expanding impact. Surprising or not, though, this link is one that should be remembered.

Stress and anxiety are some of the leading causes in an endless number of medical issues. Modern employment—often precarious and low-paid—has added major stresses to the lives of the modern worker. This is a dangerous circle.

What do you do? This is why purposeful work is so important. By seeking out purposeful work you can bring meaning and fulfillment into your life and dramatically improve your emotional and psychological well-being.

This, of course, is a good illustration of the incredible importance of purposeful work and why you need to pay more attention to the field.

Purposeful work can also save capitalism.

Capitalism is in many ways a great invention from humankind and has radically changed how our societies operate. It is, of course, far from perfect—as growing inequality and environmental implications illustrate— and needs fine-tuning to better meet the needs of humanity and our society at large.

Enter conscious capitalism.

This revamp introduces purpose into capitalism, allowing companies the opportunity to both operate as typical businesses and make a positive impact on the world at large.

Turning the business world into something that is conscious and sustainable, this may prove to be one of purposeful work’s most powerful advantages.

This push to conscious capitalism may be brushed aside by businessmen and –women so used to the status quo they can’t see the forest from the trees but this hardly reduces its potential.

Conscious capitalism can and will radically improve our relationship to work and the economy and, properly embraced, will put us on the path to a better and cleaner society. We need this upgrade and purposeful work will help bring us there.

Purposeful work cannot and should not be ignored. It has so much potential in its blood and we need to explore this as much as possible to help make the world a better place.

Let’s use purposeful work to remake the world into the best version of itself. It’s the right thing to do.

How Your Company Can Be an Eco-Hero

 

Heroes have always been important to humanity. We hold these figures up as proof the world isn’t all bad and examples of the amazing things people can do—when they’re the right people.

Groups of people can be a hero. It’s logical, following that mindset, that a company (which is in essence a group of people) can also be a hero. And what could be better than a hero for the planet? An SDG warrior?

But how? What can a company do to position itself as a hero in today’s world?

First, determine your area of expertise. What is it you do better than anyone that will change the world and make it a better place for everyone? When it comes to superheroes we tend to link the savior element with crime, but a true hero fights against injustice and for a better world for humanity.

Find where your company fights best and position yourself as super-powered in that area. Make sure you’re very clear where your powers lie, whether it be fighting injustice by harnessing the amazing power of FinTech or using your sixth sense to pinpoint where green energy can be unleashed.

Second, determine your enemy. Every hero has an enemy, an evil that needs to be vanquished in order to save the day and ensure a brighter tomorrow.

Luckily (or unluckily, depending on your perspective) our world is full of potential villains. Climate change, income inequality, gender inequality, etc., all of these are evils that can be brought forth as the ultimate enemy for your hero company to vanquish.

The third step to becoming a superhero SDG business or startup is to take an official stand. Let everyone know who you are, what you can do and how you are going to defeat your arch-nemesis. Stand strong and make your rallying cry loud and clear.

This is where your purpose fits in. The world needs to know what you can do and you need to make sure you lay it all out in a way that makes it clear you mean business.

The final and very important step to becoming a superhero #SDG #business or #startup is make sure there is follow-up. Words are empty if there are no actions behind them.

More importantly, this is not a one-shot mission. Your company is in it for the long haul and is ready to stand strong as you battle the marketplace.

Every battle, every stage, will affect what happens and how you appear to the masses. Play it right and your actions will help define your message.

Follow these steps and you will be well set up to prove the superhero nature of your business. Amazing things can happen when these super figures make themselves known and I can’t wait to see what you guys are going to do.

The Purpose of Health Care Reform

It’s now 2020. Noting the 10-year distance between now and the deadline for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals the United Nations (UN) has declared that this decade needs to be the “Decade of Action.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released its list of this decade’s urgent health priorities. Many of these directly link into the SDGs.

We have 10 years to save our health and our planet.

This is an area in which purposeful work will prove to be invaluable. We need our best and brightest uncovering the routes to take to save the health of the planet and the people.

One of the most obvious examples of something affecting both our and the planet’s health is air and water pollution.

Across the globe more and more people are suffering from conditions brought on by contaminated air and lack of clean water. Millions are dying because of this exposure and that number will only rise as our pollution levels get worse.

So how do we fix our air?

Finding the best way to do this is proving to be an international endeavor as innovators from across the globe are coming forth with potential solutions.

This year will see the culmination of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE (carbon.xprize.org), a global competition that was set up to bring forth new breakthroughs and technologies that will reduce the planet’s CO2 levels.

Meanwhile, there are carbon capture facilities being run across the world (including four in Canada), pulling in more than 30 megatonnes of CO2 a year. Sadly, this is hardly a drop in the bucket.

This work is so very important and purposeful. Breathing is obviously a fundamental need and clean air should not be something we blow off as a problem for future generations to solve.

Let’s hope we uncover a solution.

Another vital area to look at is how do we reach the unreachable?

Billions are suffering in conflict zones, dealing with terrors no one should face for reasons beyond their control.

What can we do to ensure they still have access to health care, a vital service we so quickly take for granted?

Groups like Doctors Without Borders and CARE International are good examples of what we need to be doing and the impact purposeful work can have.

We need to find ways to ensure everyone has access to health care. It’s the best way to ensure we have a fair and just world.

Of course this inequality is seen in other areas as well. Poverty and income inequality are both leading to health problems across the globe, as people can’t afford medical access for reasons like social status and race.

One solution to this is the Health in all Policies (HiaP) approach. This is a method that has been used with great success before.

HiaP requires all areas of government to consider the health implications of their policies. Introducing this requirement reduces inequality levels because representatives start looking at the long-term effects of their policies and actions and seek out solutions that level out the playing field.

This is without a doubt purposeful work.

Access to medication is another area of health care that falls under the umbrella of purposeful work.

If you live in Canada and have a quality drug plan (and stable health) you may not be aware of how uneven drug access is. The truth, however, is that access to medication is erratic and unequal even though international law deems it part of our right to health.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) approximately 30% of the world’s population do not have access to the treatment they need.

Brilliant and caring minds are looking for solutions.

The Access to Medicine Foundation, for example, is working with pharmaceutical companies to increase access in low- and middle-income countries. The National Pharmaceutical Council (npcnow.org) is exploring how to increase access in the U.S.

In Canada, of course, you have the ongoing move towards a Pharmacare system. The work being done to create a system that increase and equalize drug access is vital for the health of Canadians. As it stands, though, the regulation changes will lead to far fewer drugs being allowed into our health system. Groups like the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders are working to ensure this problem is seen and amended before it’s too late.

Helping people access the meds they need to survive and thrive is obviously purposeful and important. Let’s hope these groups make an impact.

Health care is wonderful and needed. It is not, however, perfected as of yet.

So many areas across the globe need highlighting and fine-tuning in order to ensure everyone’s needs are met and good health is shared by all.

The people putting in the legwork and the mind work to uncover solutions deserve all our praise and gratitude.

How to Find Your Purpose

You were put on this planet for a reason. You overcame adversities you can’t remember or comprehend to be born on this planet and in this time. You’re here for a reason and you have a calling.

But what is that calling?

Finding your purpose is vital in order to start living the life you were meant to lead.

Let’s take a good look at how you find your purpose.

The first place to look when seeking out your purpose is the Good Book. Scripture is rife with passages that can start you on your journey, whether it be Ecclesiastes 3 (“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven”), Jeremiah 32:19 (“Great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds”), Proverbs 20:5 (“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out”), or Ephesians 2:10 (“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do) or Romans 8:28 (“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”)

My choice proverb is Jeremiah 29:11 (“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope”). This passage spoke to me and my desire to help make a better world. This is why I want to help achieve the SDGs and help others find their purpose.

A second place to look when seeking out your purpose is your community. Just within that community there are causes and opportunities you can explore to uncover what your purpose truly is.

Look for where you can help. Volunteering has been shown to increase sense of self-worth and purpose. See where you can help and how you can use your skills to make the world a better place.

By helping others you will come to learn a lot about yourself and you can use this knowledge to better understand why you’re here and what your true purpose is.

Finally, of course, you should look inside yourself to find your purpose. Close your eyes and ask yourself what the perfect world looks like. Once you’ve done that, look at the steps you can take to help make that concept reality.

Everyone is different which means everyone will use different tools and methods when routing their path. I tell you this so you don’t get discouraged if others are using methods that are strange to you.

If you’re unsure you can try the Passion Test. This online platform is a way for people to route out where they should be going in order to live their best lives.

Finding your purpose will make your life happier and more fulfilled. It will also help make the world a much better place.

There are different ways to find your purpose. We are all so unique and need to find the right information in the right ways to best absorb it all.

Don’t wait. Start today on your journey to find your purpose. Your life will be better for it.

Why Your Workers Should Work With Purpose

We all know the saying, “If it ain’t broke why fix it?” Many of today’s workers probably view the work world in this way. The current office environment and job is functioning, so why would we try to alter it?

But really? When so many people express a dislike of their jobs (Gallup puts the number at 85%) and employee engagement levels shrinking we need to stop and think to ourselves what we can do to put ourselves on the right path.

This right path, by the way, would not only improve our relationships with our jobs but help make the world a better place. You see, purposeful work is the ideal way to improve employee engagement and in turn increase productivity levels.

Let’s look at why this is true.

The fact of the matter is that any business is reliant on the skills and output of its workers.

Employee engagement, in fact, may be the element standing between you and a successful company. According to Gallup low levels of employee engagement results in 16% lower profitability, 18% lower productivity, 37% lower job growth and 65% lower share price.

This, of course, means that a successful company needs a thriving workforce.

The bad news is employee engagement currently stands at a dismal 34% in the US and 13% worldwide. Companies are not operating in a way that is creating good workers.

So what can be done?

Here’s the truth: people work harder and more efficiently when they like and believe in what they’re doing.

This is why it’s so important to push purposeful work. In fact a solid purpose may be the greatest key to retaining the best talent.

According to Mercer, 80% of top-performing employees believe their company and work have a purpose.

Meanwhile, a BetterUp report found that 90% of workers value purpose over profit and would take a pay cut to pursue a career with greater meaning.

There are ways to introduce purpose into your company without tearing down the entire system and rebuilding from the bottom.

Service projects or corporate volunteering are an ideal way to bring purpose to your workforce.

In this case employees of a company give their time and energy to a worthy cause—say a soup kitchen or an orphanage—and work to ensure this cause gets the attention and support it needs to continue operating.

This is actually a great way to not only introduce purpose into your company but foster teambuilding as well.

If setting this up is out of your wheelhouse there are organizations who are ready to help.

HeartPress PR, the United Way and Right Hand Events are just a few examples of middlemen you can use to set up your corporate volunteering initiative and help make your workplace a more purposeful environment.

You help your workplace, you help your community and you help the world. What could be better?

Imagine being excited to wake up and go to work. Imagine going about your day knowing what you were doing was making the world a better place.

This is the work world we should be creating. Purposeful work benefits everyone. Let’s do what needs to be done to give it a stronger presence in our economy and world at large.

The Purpose of Your Purpose

Why am I here? What was I put on this earth to do? What’s my role in life?

At some point we all have moments of existential crises, panicking about what we have done or should have done and what we still need to do.

Although it’s common to dismiss these moments as temporary hysterias or too late lamentations we should really be listening to these moments and stopping to consider what’s at the root of it all.

What’s your purpose?

Let’s start with what may seem obvious: What do you love? I’m sure you know by now how much easier it is to do anything when it involves things close to your heart or things you enjoy.

Don’t default to common comforts like sleeping in or drinking. Think about what makes your heart race or what makes you look forward to the next day/week/month/year. Finding purpose and purposeful work in these areas will bring you an incredible degree of satisfaction and improve your life in numerous ways.

Passion is a major part of what makes us wake up in the morning and keeps us motivated throughout the day. It gives us an incredible drive that can keep us going regardless of what life throws at us. Working will rarely feel like work if it aligns with your passion.

Another important question to ask yourself: What do you want to fight? What injustices do you want to help stop?

We all see things that hit us in a very specific and profound way. There are certain elements of inequality that stand out to us and speak to us. This is a good way to determine purpose.

Thomas Edison said that “Success is 99% Perspiration and 1% Inspiration” but that 1% is a large part of what drives you.

Fighting injustice is hard and you have to have a thirst for the cause to survive the setbacks (and there will be setbacks). At the same time, doing your part to make the world a better place is worth the struggle.

Then of course is the important question of what skills and talents you can bring to the table. Your abilities will affect how you can help your chosen causes and knowing what you can offer is important when approaching the initiatives.

Are you a good writer? An excellent fundraiser? Can you instantly make people feel at home with your laid-back demeanor? Are you a strong and hard worker able to do manual labour?

Regardless of the area(s) in which you excel you will be able to offer your cause(s) valuable support. Knowing where you’ll #work best, however, will save both you and the cause time and effort and put you both on the road to a better tomorrow.

It’s often been said that we need to ensure we leave the Earth in a better place than it was when we started. There are so many routes you could take and so many factors that impact your actions. Although this can seem overwhelming it also means there is a lot of room for adaptability—or in other words, you can go your own way.

The We Foundation uses the formula “Gift + Issue = Change” as its driver for finding your cause and this is a very good road map to use when choosing where to devote your time and energy. It’s a good and simple way to look at how you create your own path. Take your talents and apply them to a just cause and watch as change is made.

This is definitely an example of purposeful work and is something we should all be aiming to do.

3 Ways to Introduce Purposeful Work & the SDGs to Your Business

Welcome to 2020. We are now a decade away from 2030 and the UN’s end point for the Sustainable Development Goals. We are also two minutes from midnight on the Doomsday Clock.

It’s time to step up our game.

This is not a call to restart the game and force entrepreneurs to start anew. Instead, it is an invitation to all of those who thought they couldn’t join the team to relook at their situation and realize purposeful work (and the SDGs) can be introduced everywhere.

Let’s look at 3 things you can do to join the better way.

The first thing to do is embrace the notion of vocational courage.

It’s important to note that, in this term, vocational does not refer to your job per se. Vocational courage involves embracing your purpose, weaving it so strongly into your identity that you will not lose it regardless of what the universe and marketplace happen to throw at you.

This is a vital element of successfully introducing and integrating purposeful work, as the drive to succeed is a huge part of any successful venture.

It’s also an incredibly important part of your own success in the business world, as you need a firm identity to thrive.

The second thing to do is to lead by example.  Set up your purpose and your route there. Make sure the purpose is common knowledge amongst the workforce and clearly illustrate how you are working towards that end goal.

Remember that this purpose is not a short-term thing. You are not making a temporary effort before returning to the status quo.

This is also a great way to step up your business game or work your way out of a rut (if you’ve begun to feel your work has become stagnant or stale). Introducing purpose and purposeful work will do wonders for your motivation and drive.

The third thing to do is introduce purposeful work to the company at large.

A fantastic tool to use to introduce purposeful work into your workforce is the Objective and Key Results Framework (OKRs).

Introduce an objective that speaks to purposeful work (i.e. “improve client satisfaction by 15%” or “reduce the company’s paper footprint by 50%”) and work with your team to set up a solid game plan to achieve said objective.  Soliciting their involvement and feedback is vital, as people are not as eager to embrace change when they feel they have no control over it.

Platforms like Happierco can help everyone stay on track and on task, ensuring your purposeful work is seen through to completion.

Although change can be daunting sometimes it is necessary for future success and health/wellness.

Changing to a purposeful work environment may prove to be one of the best things you do, both for yourself and everyone who works with you.

You can do this. Make 2020 the year you perfect your vision of the work and business world.

How to Create Sustainable Communities

 

With the SDGs and purposeful work we are showing the amazing things we can do when we put our minds to it.

Much like the notion that charity begins at home, we can’t forget that our homes need to reflect the lessons and realities found in the SDGs and purposeful work.

Sustainable and purposeful communities are where we need to be moving if we want society and humanity to thrive.

Let’s look at the various levels sustainable and purposeful worlds can take.

At the most basic level, of course, is sustainable and purposeful houses.

This is a great base to start from and something everyone should contemplate. How sustainable is your current residence and what can you do to make it more sustainable?

Green homes have so many benefits, from lower utility bills to better air quality to increased house value and lower maintenance costs. Most important, of course, is the reduced footprint these houses maintain.

Both Canada and the U.S. have building councils set up to help increase the number of green homes built in their countries. These councils are using the green building system of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) to help builders design and create better houses for us all.

On a more personal level there are simple steps like reducing electricity consumption and using sustainable building supplies.

A purposeful home recognizes the importance of every element of the home and how it can help attain sustainability. Everything from landscaping to materials to heating and utilities can be done in an eco-friendly way.

This is a great first step towards a better world and one I hope everyone is willing to take.

The next important step is the creation of sustainable and purposeful communities—eco-villages, as they’ve been called.

If it’s true that “it takes a village” these initiatives may be the way to spread the message to a wider audience about the importance of sustainable living and the ability of communities to do amazing things.

The good news is this idea is not a pipe dream and communities have begun to form.

In Canada there is New Seaton, a sustainable community just outside of Toronto that is home to great amenities like trails and parks as well as easy access to retail and businesses.   Windmill Development Group has created Zibi, a community designed to demonstrate sustainability and creativity. Local shopping and entertainment options as well as a community centre designed to meet the recreational needs of the community mean Zibi will be a great sustainable place to live.

Spearheaded by BioRegional, the One Planet Communities initiative gives aspiring communities a framework to follow to achieve this level of sustainability.

Babcock Ranch in Florida serves as another great example of what sustainable neighbourhoods can look like, with community gardens and easy access to shopping and schools making it much easier for residents to live sustainably and purposefully.

These designed communities are a great way to promote sustainability to a larger audience and (with any luck) bring more people over to join the eco-fight.

Finally we’ll look at sustainable and purposeful cities. In that case major metropolis areas will be designed and operated in a way that minimizes humanity’s impact on the planet.

Although this may seem like a faraway pipe dream, cities in North America are already working towards this important goal.

Offering an increasing amount of renewable and clean energy, these cities (including Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Aspen, Eugene and Seattle) will reduce their footprint and their costs as they work towards 100% and a true level of sustainability.

Projects like the smart mobility plans created by Montreal and Seattle also add to the growing sustainability of these cities.

Enough of these sustainable cities could do an incredible amount of good, keeping us from the brink while allowing us to continue living quality lives.

Sustainability and green living. It starts at home but needs to grow until it reaches your community and then your wider world.

We are getting there. The movement is growing and will continue to grow as more and more people see the light.

The companies helping to create these sustainable communities are doing purposeful work, doing their part to put us on a better path.

Sustainable communities are the future. Are you ready?

Let’s Make the ’20s a Decade of Purposeful Work

It’s a new year—a new decade—and everyone’s gearing up to put a fresh face forward.

Have you made resolutions? Were any of them concerning purposeful work?

According to Gallup 85% of people hate their jobs and worldwide employee engagement is only 15%. And the effects of these ill-fitting jobs can range from insomnia to body pains and ill health to mental health issues. In a nut shell our bodies are screaming at us to find better employment.

If you’re relating to this situation maybe 2020 should be the year you explore purposeful work.

Let’s look at why.

Although media has often tried to push this narrative that we’re supposed to hate our jobs there is no rule that says this is true. We all know the adage, “Do what you love and you’ll never work another day in your life,” and it really is true.

Imagine being excited by what you’re doing at your job. Imagine knowing that what you’re doing is making a positive impact on the planet. This is what purposeful work offers you.

A study done by Imperative found that employee engagement and satisfaction are both significantly higher in purposeful work.

The modern worker knows this. Across the globe Millennials and Generation Z are both actively seeking out purposeful work. Their level of success depends on their employment area (according to a study done by Olivet Nazarene University education and non-profit/social services have the highest levels of purpose attainment while sales and retail rank at the bottom).

So how do you find purposeful work?

First, ask yourself what drives you. Purposeful work is not a one-size-fits-all concept and what drives someone else obviously will not necessarily drive you.

Do you want to save the environment? Change society’s ills? Help the less fortunate? Use that drive to seek out roles that will give you the skills you need to work towards this goal.

There are systems that can help. Koya Leadership Partners is one such example, working on the idea that “The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World”. Another option is the Works Design Communications. These initiatives can help you find the placements that best suit your needs and desires.

You may not find the perfect purposeful role right away but each role you explore can help you gain skills and experience that will serve you well when you find the ideal role.

Okay, but what if you’re already established in your career and don’t know how to shift gears? Don’t worry, you still have the opportunity to pursue purposeful work.

One option is to explore purposeful work outside of work. This could mean volunteering or starting a side business and is a way to introduce purpose to your life.

Project X is another great initiative to look into if you want to explore how to introduce purpose into your career. With both a Get Unstuck Lab and a Purpose Accelerator you can choose how intense your journey will be.

Purposeful work is not something limited to a privileged few. Your route there will be personal but it is definitely achievable.

As Robert Bryne once said, “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” We need to bring purpose into our lives and into our businesses.

Introducing purposeful work into your life will be better for your health and better for the planet. Make the change. You’ll be glad you did.