What does it feel like to matter at work? This concept was a lot to wrap our minds around, as it doesn’t seem as straightforward like the other parts of the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework on Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing—it’s a lot more abstract. When we matter at work, we feel valued and we also add value to our workplace. We can feel or give value to ourselves, others both at the workplace and in our communities we gather.

Mattering involves “more than feeling like you belong in a group, it's also being missed by people in that group if you weren’t there,” says Dr. Gordon Flett, a York University professor and author of “The Psychology of Mattering.” It turns out that you won’t be a happy person if no one notices you when you enter a room, even if you feel like you’re valued. You’ll likely feel left out and isolated, and can have serious consequences. A lack of mattering is associated with burnout, self-criticism, anxiety, depression, aggression and increased risk of suicide. On the other side, people who feel like they matter experience more self-compassion, relationship satisfaction, and greater belief in their capacity to achieve their goals in life.

This Framework Essential involves two human needs: meaning and dignity. Meaning is similar to having a purpose—that what we do has some kind of significance to us or the world. A sense of meaning can mean different things to different people: it can be a belief, feeling, a pursuit, significance, and a future state you’re working towards.

Dignity is the sense of being respected and valued as humans. Dr. Donna Hicks explains two core truths of dignity, which are 1) that we are inherently valuable and worthy and 2) our dignity is vulnerable, and can be wounded. When the dignity of workers is affirmed and supported in the workplace, it enhances well-being. Conversely, being made to feel disrespected or not valued may lead to an increase in stress and feelings of anger, cynicism, hostility, and withdrawal.

Both meaning and dignity are linked to power and agency, which we discuss more within this episode. Wrap your own mind around this complex topic, and learn how to find out if you are valued at work within this episode.

Reference Materials:

Cornwall, Gail. “Want to Believe in Yourself? ‘Mattering’ Is Key.” Retrieved on November 13, 2023 at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/27/well/mind/mental-health-mattering-self-esteem.html

Hicks, Donna. Ph.D. Dignity: Its Essential Role in Resolving Conflict. 14 September 2021. https://drdonnahicks.com/books/dignity/

Just Associates, Making Change Happen, 2011, https://justassociates.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/mch3_2011_final_0.pdf

Prilleltensky, Isaac. Mattering at the Intersection of Psychology, Philosophy, and Politics. Retrieved on November 13, 2023 at: https://carsey.unh.edu/sites/default/files/media/2020/07/christine-robinson-nh-listens-fellows-cv.pdf

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Amy J. Wilson designs worlds where every person gets what they need, the power to achieve what they want, and the agency to do what they love. She is the bestselling author of Empathy for Change: How to Build a More Understanding World: