A new survey by Gallup and Stand Together finds that employees who feel their work has a strong sense of purpose are significantly more engaged. However, few say they experience that kind of meaning on the job.

The online poll of 4,475 U.S. working adults, conducted Aug. 18-25, 2025, shows that 50% of workers with a strong sense of purpose are engaged in their role, compared with just 9% of those who say their work lacks purpose.

The study introduces the “Work Purpose Index,” which categorizes workers’ view of their job’s contribution to something important. According to the findings, employees with strong work purpose are 5.6 times more likely to be engaged, less likely to feel burned out and less likely to be actively seeking a new job.

Specifically, only 13% of those with high purpose report frequent burnout, versus 38% of those with low purpose. Meanwhile, 41% of strong-purpose workers are job-seeking, compared with 68% of the low-purpose group.

Despite these advantages, purpose remains elusive for many. Nearly half of U.S. workers (45%) say they work primarily to collect a paycheck and benefits, while only 18% say their current job aligns with a purpose they personally believe in and 12% say it allows them to pursue purpose outside of work.

Gallup and Stand Together say organizations can improve engagement and retention by helping workers understand how their roles contribute to meaningful outcomes and the broader mission.