Episode 056 - Why Your Work Feels Meaningless (And What Actually Makes Organisations Matter)

Episode 056 - Why Your Work Feels Meaningless (And What Actually Makes Organisations Matter)

From PsychChat by Dr Austin Tay

December 3, 2025 · 29 min · Episode 56

About this episode

Dr Austin Tay explores the crisis of meaning at work and what makes organisations genuinely matter.

Episode Summary Ever found yourself staring at your screen on a Wednesday afternoon wondering, "Why does this organisation even exist? What am I actually doing here that matters?" You're not alone. In this episode, Dr Austin Tay dives deep into the crisis of meaning at work, unpacking two groundbreaking research papers that finally explain what's missing when work feels meaningless—and more importantly, what makes organisations genuinely matter. Learn the five-characteristic framework that helps you distinguish between organisations with a genuine purpose and those just performing it. By the end of this episode, you'll know exactly how to audit your workplace, assess your alignment, and decide your next steps. What You'll Learn 🎯 The Purpose Crisis : Why trust in businesses is at historic lows and more people than ever are asking if their work actually matters 🎯 The VUCA/BANI World : How volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity have shattered the old "profit-only" playbook 🎯 The Golden Thread : The three elements that help people genuinely thrive at work (spoiler: it's not just about the salary) 🎯 Five Characteristics Framework : The diagnostic tool for determining…

People in this episode

Host: Austin Tay

Topics covered

  • meaning at work
  • organisational purpose
  • workplace alignment
  • trust in businesses
  • VUCA/BANI world

Keywords

  • purpose crisis
  • five-characteristic framework
  • audit your workplace

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