A 170% (Free) Productivity Boost for Your Team

What if the key to real motivation wasn’t more money, but a sense of purpose? Adam Grant, a renowned psychologist at the Wharton School, set out to test this in a university call center—and his results changed how we think about productivity.

The Experiment: From Calls to Cause

Imagine this scene: A group of call center employees spends their days calling alumni, asking for donations to fund scholarships. It’s a repetitive, often thankless job, and motivation was understandably low. Despite all the standard management tactics—metrics, coaching, supervision—the numbers weren’t moving.

Grant took a different approach. Instead of trying to drive performance with stricter goals or new incentives, he brought in a scholarship recipient, a student whose education was funded by donations. This student shared their story, detailing how those funds were changing their life. For the call center employees, this was no longer an abstract mission. They saw the direct impact of their work.

The results? Remarkable. After hearing from the student, the employees nearly doubled their weekly calls. Even more impressive, their fundraising numbers shot up by over 170%. Suddenly, they weren’t just making calls—they were changing lives. All thanks to the reminder about the purpose of their role. 

Why Purpose Works: The Data Speaks

What made Grant’s intervention so powerful? His study zeroed in on intrinsic motivation, which is what drives people when they’re doing something meaningful, rather than simply chasing rewards. Research shows that intrinsic motivation leads to higher engagement and greater resilience. It’s a long-term motivator that beats out bonuses and quotas because it’s driven by a genuine desire to make an impact.

Grant’s findings echo data from other fields. In healthcare, for example, studies show that hospital janitors who view their work as part of the healing process report higher satisfaction and go out of their way to help patients. They don’t just clean; they contribute to recovery. This shift in mindset leads to more engaged, dedicated employees who take pride in their roles.

In manufacturing, a similar trend emerges. Workers who understand how their role contributes to the company’s mission are more productive—by as much as 30%, according to research. They’re not just assembling parts—they’re creating products that make a difference, and that sense of purpose transforms their work.

Purpose: The Missing Link in Productivity

What Grant’s call center study reveals is that purpose is more than just a “nice-to-have.” It’s a powerful tool for driving real results. In the call center, productivity didn’t soar because of a pay raise or performance bonuses. It took off because employees connected with the “why” behind their work. They weren’t just following a script. They were making a tangible difference, one donation at a time.

Purpose might be one of the most underused tools in business. Grant’s study shows that when people see the impact of their work, they care more, and that care translates into higher performance. Purpose isn’t just about making people feel good—it’s about making work meaningful. And when work is meaningful, people don’t just show up—they excel.

Source

Grant, A. M. (2008). The significance of task significance: Job performance effects, relational mechanisms, and boundary conditions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(1), 108–124.