Reconnecting Staff to Purpose in 2026
If you're feeling like your team hasn't had a minute to pause and emotionally process anything that's happened in the last couple of years, you're not the only one.
Most mission-driven organizations have been in constant motion, navigating org shifts, leadership transitions, and external pressures. When teams are moving this fast, there's not exactly time to stop, name what's happening, and make sense of it together. We're seeing organizations struggle with the lagging effects of the nonstop pace, and that's showing up as disengagement, increased conflict, and higher turnover.
Today, we'll look at some of the red (and yellow) flags that signal your team needs something different in 2026, as well as seven steps you can take to reconnect people to purpose.
We're here to remind you that reconnecting staff to purpose isn't just a nice-to-have; it's the foundation for trust, motivation, and sustainable work — and the beginning of the year is the perfect time to have this conversation.
Is your team disconnected? Watch out for these flags
First, let's go over some of the common warning signs that your team might be feeling detached, starting with the more mild symptoms and moving up to red flags.
YELLOW FLAGS ARE INDICATORS YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION:
⚠️ Declining attendance at optional meetings or events
⚠️ No enthusiasm around tasks or cross-functional collaboration
⚠️ Teams are working in silos
⚠️ Meetings are quiet, and you have to push people for input
⚠️ People express confusion or frustration about priorities and what's expected
RED FLAGS HAPPENING ARE A SIGN THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE ACTION NOW:
🚩 High turnover, or rumors about staff looking for new jobs
🚩 Ongoing conflict resolution challenges and miscommunications
🚩 Staff frequently question the point of things
🚩 People do the bare minimum to get by
🚩 A feeling of cynicism toward leaders or overall strategy
7 tips to reconnect your team this year
Take note of the flags that you see among your team, and review the following tips to start addressing them.
TIP #1: START WITH ACKNOWLEDGMENT, NOT ACCELERATION
Before you jump straight to goal-setting, take a minute to validate and acknowledge what everyone is going through. Give people space to talk through challenges, and validate the resilience that it's taking for people to continue showing up right now. Staff cannot connect to purpose if they feel gaslit or unseen, so focus on creating psychological safety right now.
TIP #2: RESET (AND SIMPLIFY) THE ORG NARRATIVE
Get back to basics. Why are you in business? What matters most right now? What does success look like in 2026? Have these conversations more than once, and reinforce your key messages consistently across meetings, email comms, and 1 on 1 conversations.
TIP #3: INVOLVE STAFF IN RE-CREATING MEANING
Purpose sticks more when people are involved in shaping it. Hold regular listening sessions or small-group discussions where people can talk about what feels meaningful and share their priorities. Ask, "What kind of impact feels most important this year?" and strategize ways you can create that impact together.
TIP #4: GIVE MANAGERS BETTER TOOLS AND TALKING POINTS
Provide managers with scripts, questions, and check-in frameworks that help them connect daily tasks back to the bigger mission. Train them on the red and yellow flags outlined above so that they know when it's time to have grounding 1 on 1s to remind people that they (and their work) matter.
TIP #5: CREATE MICRO-MOMENTS OF CONNECTION
Purpose includes belonging, so build in small rituals to create connection. Maybe you host a team building workshop or schedule time for a retreat, or perhaps you add an agenda item to your monthly meeting to celebrate wins and recognize each other. No matter what it is, try to find ways to remind people they're part of something bigger.
TIP #6: CLARIFY PRIORITIES AND REMOVE COMPETING NOISE
When everything feels equally (and extremely) urgent, people start to feel lost. Try to focus on the most high-impact work, and be sure that your team workloads are realistic and sustainable. Give people explicit permission to focus and go heads-down during certain periods of time, so that people don't feel like they have to always be "on."
TIP #7: MODEL THE PURPOSE YOU WANT OTHERS TO FEEL
Finally, be an example! Staff take cues from your energy, so be vocal about your feelings. Share why you still feel connected to the mission and your coping strategies. Model boundaries and compassion, and be authentic when you communicate with team members.
Purpose is a practice, not a one-time reset
You'll know you're on the right track when you start to see a shift in engagement as it relates to the specific flags you noticed. For example, if you noticed low energy during meetings, you'd want to look for more enthusiastic, proactive responses over the next few months.
Staff don't need you to be perfect; they just need you to show up for them. Be honest, considerate, and thoughtful as you work to reconnect everyone to purpose — and remember that all of this takes time. We didn't get here overnight, so we won't be able to magically reconnect and get back on track overnight, either.
If you're thinking about a 2026 strategy and culture reset for your org, let's chat about ideas. We'll help you diagnose what's happening through our unique diagnostic approach, clarify what matters most, and build a plan to start rebuilding trust and connection across your team.