Meaning of Work Barometer – survey tool for individuals and communities

Where does meaningful work stem from? How to support and develop it? The Meaning of Work Barometer is a survey tool that answers these questions through personal self-reflection. Fulfilling work is one of key factors that binds employees to their workplace – a competitive advantage for organisations.

This tool has three primary target groups: individuals, small groups and communities, and larger communities (10 people or more).

Duration: 5–15 minutes to respond + review of the results and development actions.
Content: Self-evaluation survey. Contains 2x26 multiple-choice questions on the vocational meanings, i.e. what aspects of work are especially important to oneself, and the vocational fulfilments, i.e. how well does one’s current employment meet one’s expectations for work. The questions cover the following dimensions: basic needs, career success, competence, independence, self-realisation, communality, and doing good.
Outcome: The Meaning of Work Barometer produces a personal Vocational Meaning and Fulfilment profile for each respondent (see following figure). The larger communities version of the tool also produces a profile for the whole group when there are at least 10 respondents. The profile includes interpretation guidelines and tips, as well as materials to support further actions.

Figure. Vocational meaning and fulfilment profile, individual example.

Meaning of Work Barometer for individuals

For employees, entrepreneurs and the self-employed. Reflecting on the sources of meaningful work can also be useful for unemployed individuals or students in light of their previous work experiences.
This tool is applicable in many situations, such as when you’re pondering the meaning of your current work or the direction of your career.

Open the barometer for individuals

Meaning of Work Barometer for small groups and communities (under 10 people)

Suitable for small‑group instructors, coaches, trainers, or supervisors of fewer than 10 people. The aim is to discuss the theme of meaningful work with the group, based on each participant’s personal Vocational Meaning and Fulfilment (VMF) profile.
For data protection reasons, VMF profiles are delivered only to individual respondents, and no group profile is generated. In addition to group discussions, the individual profiles may be used in one‑to‑one counselling or in development and goal‑setting discussions, among others, but only with the respondent’s explicit consent.

Open the barometer for small groups/communities

Meaning of Work Barometer for larger communities (10 people or more)

Suitable for the leaders, developers and facilitators of larger groups/communities (e.g. organisations, units, training groups). The aim is to gain a good overall awareness of the group/community’s experiences of meaningful work and the sources thereof.
Community-level Vocational Meaning and Fulfilment (VMF) profiles can be used as part of development and workplace wellbeing days, or in group coaching and counselling.
Everyone also gets their own VMF profile that is delivered only to them. Individual profiles can be used in development and goal-setting discussions or in group coaching and counselling, but only with the respondent’s explicit consent.

Open the barometer for large communities

The dimensions of the Vocational Meaning and Fulfilment profile are based on extensive theoretical and research literature on the meaning of work, covering aspects related to both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, as well as individual‑ and community‑oriented sources of meaningful work.

Basic needs: Subsistence and Stability

Basic needs include achieving your desired standard of living and the experience that work provides stability in everyday life and in life overall. This may be reflected, for example, in predictable working hours and schedules or in the continuity of employment instead of a cycle of part-time contracts.

Career Success

Career success includes your personal achievements at work and in your career, such as promotions and awards.

Competence: Recognition and Capability

Competence includes a sense of being appreciated at work, both as an employee in general and for your particular work. In addition, work strengthens your sense of competence and control of the work.

Independence

Independence means that you have influence and freedom in your work, such as regarding how you complete your work tasks and duties.

Self-realisation: Authenticity and Self-development

Self-realisation is about doing work that aligns with your values and interests. It also means work that allows you to learn new things, develop your competence and professional skills and grow as a person in general.

Communality: Belonging and Contribution

Belonging includes relationships with colleagues that are rewarding and supportive. Contribution describes your personal desire to work for the community and your colleagues.

Doing good: Everyday actions and Broader purpose

Doing good includes the feeling that your daily work helps someone else in a concrete way. It also means that your work has a wider positive impact on both the society and the world at large.

The Meaning of Work Barometer is a research-based tool, based on the following projects

MEANWELL: Meaningful work as a source of well-being in organisations. Conducted by University of Jyväskylä and funded by The Finnish Work Environment Fund (project no. 210129) during 2021–2024.
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The Mental Health Toolkit. Produced by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. Its partners include University of Jyväskylä’s Department of Psychology. Part of The Mental Health at Work Programme. Funded by Finland's Sustainable Growth Programme through the European Union’s one-time recovery tool (Next Generation EU) via the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
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Key scientific publications behind the Meaning of Work Barometer

The following sources refer to the tool as the Vocational Meaning and Fulfilment Survey method, and the pair of the Vocational Meaning Survey (VMS) and Vocational Fulfilment Survey (VFS), based on the tool’s original authors. The name Meaning of Work Barometer has been used since the method became part of the Mental Health Toolkit.

The Vocational Meaning and Fulfillment Survey: a new tool for fostering employees work-life balance and career sustainability. Rantanen, J., Mauno, S., Konsti, S., Markkula, S., & Peterson, G. (2024). Teokasessa P. Kruyen, S. André, & B. Van der Heijden (toim.), Maintaining a Sustainable Work–Life Balance (s. 205-212). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781803922348.00039
MEANWELL Meaningful work as a source of well-being: research and development project description. Markkula, S., Konsti, S., & Rantanen, J. (2024). University of Jyväskylä. JYU Reports, 40. https://doi.org/10.17011/jyureports/2024/40
On the meaning of work: a theoretical integration and review. Rosso, B. D., Dekas, K. H. & Wrzesniewski, A. (2010). Research in Organizational Behavior, 30, 91–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.riob.2010.09.001
Fostering meaningful work in organizations: A multi-level review and integration. Lysova, E.I., Allan, B.A., Dik, B.J., Duffy, R.D. & Steger, M.F. (2019). Journal of Vocational Behavior, 110(Part B), 374–389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2018.07.004
Vocational Meaning Survey and Vocational Fulfillment Survey. Peterson, G., MacFarlane, J. & Osborn, D. 2019. Teoksessa K. B. Stoltz & S. R. Barclay (toim.) A comprehensive guide to career assessment (s. 339–346). USA: National Career Development Association.
The vocational meaning survey (VMS): An exploration of importance in current work. Peterson, G. W., MacFarlane, J. & Osborn, D. 2017. Career Planning and Adult Development Journal, 33(2), 49–59. 94

For more information, please contact

University Lecturer Johanna Rantanen and Project Researcher Sanna Markkula, University of Jyväskylä, Department of Psychology

Feedback and additional information: meanwell [at] jyu.fi (meanwell[at]jyu[dot]fi)

The Meaning of Barometer is based on MEANWELL: Meaningful work as a source of well-being in organisations: https://www.jyu.fi/en/projects/meanwell-meaningful-work-for-well-being