The important value of human capital

Purpose Driven Leadership, also known as ‘Purpose-Oriented Leadership’, puts the person and the company’s goals at the centre. At Gi Group Holding, we also want to create a better future through our business objectives. At the interface between people and work, we want to contribute to the positive development of the labour market and change people’s lives for the better.

Purpose Driven Leadership focuses on people as the most important asset of companies, institutions and society. The aim is to act, lead and direct personal values towards a higher purpose. For example, it is no longer just about making the highest possible profit from a technological product, but also about the quality of people’s lives that the product improves. Work has personal and social value. At Gi Group Holding, as an HR services company, we want to contribute to a sustainable world of work and create living and working conditions that enable people to find and keep a job throughout their working lives, creating a pleasant working environment for our employees.

More engaged and satisfied with a ‘sense of purpose

Guiding principles and a clear corporate vision are necessary for employees to understand how they can make a positive contribution to society through their work. When employees understand and identify with the purpose of their work, they become more engaged and satisfied. This, in turn, will increase productivity and loyalty, which will ultimately have a positive impact on the company’s financial goals. Purpose does not have to have an immediately obvious economic relevance. But the zeal to pursue it must not be at the expense of financial success. It is the basis for healthy business growth.

Companies with a clear vision attract talent

Fair employment contracts and adequate remuneration are no longer enough to attract and retain top talent. Personal well-being is becoming increasingly important: employees want to be empowered in their work and to grow professionally. Companies that have a clear vision and actively communicate it attract talented people.
This is true both for our customers and for us as a company. Our people communicate this message and the sense of purpose that they bring to their work. Purpose Driven Leadership therefore helps us to be seen as an attractive employer and to enrich our talent pool with the right people at all levels of the hierarchy. This directly benefits our customers.

HR departments are challenged

What are the characteristics of a Purpose Driven Leader? A Purpose Driven Leader shows empathy for the needs and aspirations of his or her people and is able to communicate the company’s strategy and goals in a language that people can understand. They constantly question their own actions, recognise the potential for change and are able to activate it.
As the demands on leaders have changed, so have the challenges for HR. It takes time to adapt processes and mental models and to change corporate cultures in a positive and sustainable way. It is in this context that the role of the HR service provider becomes important: with the right processes and a large talent pool, it can respond flexibly to the needs of companies.

HR service providers have a social responsibility

HR service providers play an important role in the labour market: through employment services they can connect people with meaningful work. A staffing and HR service provider that is managed according to the principle of Purpose Driven Leadership also assumes social responsibility by making a positive contribution to society. Examples include measures to integrate disadvantaged groups, such as the long-term unemployed or people from a migrant background. Temporary work plays an important bridging role and acts as a driver for integration. In fact, a recent study conducted on behalf of swissstaffing shows that approximately one year after starting a temporary job, 42 percent of temporary workers have found a permanent job.
But not everyone is looking for a permanent position. Highly skilled professionals in particular appreciate the flexibility in their working lives that allows them to meet their personal needs. These flexible workers often benefit from services such as payrolling or contracting, and are covered by social insurance thanks to the services of our staffing companies.

It’s challenging, but worth it: the move to Purpose Driven Leadership

HR offers a unique opportunity to make a significant contribution to social inclusion, diversity and sustainability that goes beyond the mere provision of human resources. By having a clear purpose, being socially responsible, acting authentically and sustainably, and following guiding principles such as Gi Group Holding’s Sustainable Work Manifesto, leaders have a positive impact on their people, their organisations and society as a whole.

Gi Group Holding’s global platform of integrated HR services aims to develop the labour market by creating sustainable social and economic value, creating a pleasant working environment and transforming people’s lives in general.

My conclusion: Overall, Purpose Driven Leadership is a form of business management that is rewarding, albeit challenging. When it can be implemented effectively, engagement, innovation and opportunities for business success increase.

About the Author

Balz M. Villiger, President of the Board & Country Manager Switzerland and board member of swissstaffing. This article was first published on the swissstaffing blog.

¹ V. Harvard Business Review

² V. White Paper di swissstaffing: «Rete di sicurezza e ancora di salvezza – Come il lavoro temporaneo favorisce l’integrazione nel mercato del lavoro e garantisce la protezione sociale nel lavoro flessibile»

³ V. White Paper di swissstaffing: «Flexwork: sempre più risorse altamente qualificate lavorano in modo temporaneo»