Mattering transforms workplaces and communities, fostering engagement, wellbeing, and social impact. Employees thrive when they feel valued and make a meaningful contribution. Through initiatives like employee volunteering, businesses can create shared value, enhancing workplace culture and driving community change.
This was the focus of Sarah Wilson’s presentation at the recent Global Corporate Volunteer Council (GCVC) meeting as part of the 27th World Volunteer Conference in Busan, South Korea.
The Power of Mattering: A New Lens for Social Impact
Imagine a workplace where every employee feels seen, valued, and empowered to make a difference. This vision isn’t just aspirational – it’s the promise of ‘mattering’.
Understanding what it means to matter has the potential to unlock new possibilities for mental wellness and employee engagement. Mattering is the degree to which someone feels that their existence is significant and valued (George & Park, 2016). It is a unique psychological construct that has immense potential for how we understand and enhance individual wellbeing and collective flourishing.
For decades employers have been trying to uncover the essential ingredients for optimising their workforce. Alongside this, there is increasing recognition that social impact is a business imperative. We know from literature spanning diverse countries and industries that engaged employees are happier, more productive, and have stronger intentions to remain in their role. By addressing the core human need to matter, businesses can inspire higher levels of employee engagement.
So what exactly is mattering? At its core, mattering has three key components:
1. Awareness – the feeling that people pay attention to us.
2. Importance – the feeling that others consider us important.
3. Reliance – the feeling that others depend on us.
If these three conditions exist then we are likely to feel like we matter (Rosenberg & McCullough, 1981).
Mattering also has two dimensions:
1. Interpersonal Mattering – the feeling that we matter to a person or group of people.
2. Societal Mattering – the feeling that our actions have an impact on the world around us (Rosenberg, 1985).
To truly feel like we matter, we need a sense of both interpersonal and societal mattering.
Mattering plays a protective role in psychological wellbeing (Flett, 2024). Research shows that a sense of mattering balances two complementary psychological experiences: feeling valued and adding value (Prilleltensky, 2020). This mirrors what most employees seek: recognition for their hard work and confidence that their work makes a difference. One of the most effective and impactful ways that businesses can foster mattering is through employee volunteering.
Volunteering is associated with greater psychological wellbeing (Kragt & Holtrop, 2020). It also uniquely bridges interpersonal and societal mattering. Volunteering alongside colleagues fosters interpersonal connection, while contributing to meaningful causes instils a sense of societal purpose and impact. While the benefits of volunteering are clear, capturing its full impact remains a challenge.
Metrics, such as participation rates and hours contributed, fall short of capturing the full value of employee volunteering. By adopting the lens of mattering, businesses have an opportunity to rethink impact measurement, highlighting how volunteering nurtures employee wellbeing, strengthens workplace culture, and drives meaningful change. This holistic approach ensures that employee volunteering programs achieve their ultimate goal: creating shared value across all stakeholders.
By prioritising mattering, businesses can not only enhance employee engagement but also drive social impact on a broader scale. Workplaces that embrace a commitment to mattering—not just for employees but also for clients, customers, and the broader community—can strengthen their brand reputation, attract and retain top talent, and boost productivity and innovation. To cultivate a culture of mattering in the workplace, consider these practical strategies:
- Design meaningful work that provides employees with autonomy, fosters competence, and promotes opportunities for authentic connections with others (Ryan & Deci, 2000).
- Develop transformational leaders that nurture a sense of mattering through consistent, active, and personalised support and recognition.
- Foster a workplace culture that values and prioritises interpersonal mattering between colleagues, encouraging empathy, collaboration, and mutual appreciation.
- Implement robust social impact initiatives, including well-designed employee volunteering programs, that enable employees to experience a sense of societal mattering.
- Build strategic community partnerships to ensure employee volunteering programs create genuine value while offering employees meaningful and enriching volunteer experiences.
Making people feel like they matter is at the heart of individual and collective wellbeing. When businesses prioritise mattering, they do more than foster employee engagement – they create a ripple effect of positivity that extends beyond the workplace into the community. How will your business harness the transformative power of mattering to unlock employee potential and create sustainable community impact?
The GCVC is a corporate membership forum managed by IAVE (International Association for Volunteer Effort). Learn more about the GCVC
References
George, L. S., & Park, C. L. (2016). Meaning in life as comprehension, purpose, and mattering: Toward integration and new research questions. Review of General Psychology, 20(3), 205-220. https://doi.org/10.1037/gpr0000077
Kragt, D., & Holtrop, D. (2020). Volunteering research in Australia: A narrative review. Australian Journal of Psychology, 71(4), 342-360. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12251
Prilleltensky, I. (2020). Mattering at the intersection of psychology, philosophy, and politics. American Journal of Community Psychology, 65(1-2), 16-34. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12368
Rosenberg, M. (1985). Self-concept and psychological wellbeing in adolescence. In R. L. Leary (Ed.), The Development of the Self (pp. 205-246). Academic Press.
Rosenberg, M., & McCullough, B. C. (1981). Mattering: Inferred significance and mental health among adolescents. Research in Community & Mental Health, 2, 163-182.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-Determination Theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68-78. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1521/978.14625/28806
