Fear, Mattering and Meaningful work - with Zach Mercurio

What makes people feel like they matter - and what happens when they don’t? In this episode I’m joined by Zach Mercurio - researcher, author of The Power of Mattering, and one of the leading voices on meaningful work - to explore the primal human need to matter, and the fears that surface when that need goes unmet. For more than twenty years, organisations have tried to foster employee engagement with programmes, platforms and perks. But through his research, Zach discovered that the “disengagement problem” is really a mattering problem. When people don’t feel seen, valued or significant to others, something shifts. 3 in 10 people say they feel invisible at work, 65% feel perpetually underappreciated, and 8 in 10 experience loneliness in any given week. These aren’t just wellbeing statistics - they’re signals. And beneath them, we often find fear. Together, we explore the subtle and often unintentional ways workplaces create anti-mattering - and what happens as a result. We discuss: How tensions, disengagement and disruptive behaviour often have their roots in fear Why engagement, wellbeing and performance are deeply connected to whether we feel significant to others How meaning at work is created less by the job itself and more through everyday interactions Why resilience and confidence are built at a community level, not just an individual one And how mattering isn’t just a feeling - it’s a skill we can practise, model and teach If you’ve ever felt unseen at work - or wondered how to build a workplace culture where people can truly thrive - this conversation will help you understand what’s really at stake. Continue the conversation with Grace here: gracemarshall.com  LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gracemarshall/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracemarshallninja/   About Guest Zach Mercurio is an author, researcher, and leadership development facilitator specializing in purposeful leadership, mattering, and meaningful work. He advises leaders in organizations worldwide on practices for building cultures that promote well-being, motivation, and performance. Zach holds a Ph.D. in organizational learning, performance, and change and serves as one of Simon Sinek’s Optimist Instructors, teaching a top-rated course on creating mattering at work. His new book is The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance. His previous book is The Invisible Leader: Transform Your Life, Work, and Organization with The Power of Authentic Purpose. He’s been featured in The Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Psychology Today, The Denver Post, and on ABCNews. Find out more at www.zachmercurio.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachmercurio/  The podcast was produced by pronkproductions.com