Is Becoming Purpose-Driven an Antidote for The Great Resignation?

12
May 2022
89
A group of people are putting their hands together on a wooden table.

Author:  Charla Vall, Founder & Principal at Vall Impact Company

The Realities Facing Organizations Today

For a variety of reasons, Canadian employees are leaving their jobs in droves, and there are no signs of this trend slowing down.

28% of Canadians surveyed in a recent Leger poll 1 said they voluntarily left their job in the last two years. 43% said they’re likely to look for a new opportunity in the next 2 years.  

What does this mean for organizations, and HR professionals in particular?

In short, you’re desperately fighting to attract, and keep your talent.

But the approaches you have used in the past are unlikely to be effective this time 2 .  

Scott Sonenshein, an organizational psychologist and  New York Times  best-selling author, put it bluntly on Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead podcast :

"If you think you’re going to come in and operate your business as if it’s February 2020, you’re going to get crushed. If you think you’re leading the same workforce – people with the same mindset, the same mentality, the same desires, and the same priorities – you are nuts. You have to change or get out of the way. There’s no turning back”

That’s a hard dose of reality to swallow.

But there’s another trend that has picked up steam during the pandemic.

This trend might even represent the change you need to wake up your disengaged employees before they walk.

Welcome to The New Era of Business

Let me take a guess… you’ve heard of the brands Patagonia, Tom’s Shoes and Seventh Generation.

Is it because their products are especially good? No. Although that does help.  

These companies stand out from the crowd because they do things differently.

More specifically, they are guided by a purpose that extends well-beyond generating profits.

They exist to make the world a better place, in some form or another.  

Purpose-driven companies exist to make the world a better place

And in recent years, more and more brands are adopting a purpose. This trend has accelerated enormously since the Covid-19 pandemic 3 .

Mainstream companies like Unilever, HP, Canva, AirBnb, Maple Leaf Foods, Telus, among many others, have declared a purpose that aims to benefit society 4 .  

It guides the company in everything they do.

What Does Purpose Have to Do with The Great Resignation?

It turns out that adopting a purpose, and becoming a truly purpose-driven company, makes you much more likely to attract and retain top talent 5 .

Millennials are more than 5 times more likely to stay when they have a strong connection to their employer’s purpose 6 .

A survey conducted in Summer 2020 found that nearly 9-in-10 employees say working for a company with a strong purpose is more important to them now than ever before 7 .

Becoming purpose-driven may be the kind of shake-up that won’t just make your staff want to stick around, but will turn them into champions for your organization. 

Purpose is Not a Tactic, It Requires a Strategy

There’s a catch though, declaring your company has a purpose is not enough.

Purpose needs to be embedded into the core fabric of your organization 8 .  

It needs to be seen, heard and felt by your board, executive team, management, staff and customers.

In other words, purpose can’t just be written on the wall.

To be authentically purpose-driven, your purpose can only be activated by people.

This means HR professionals are critical players in promoting a purpose-driven culture throughout their organization.

A text box that says `` purpose needs to be seen , heard and felt by your board

How Do You Become a Purpose-Driven Organization?

You might be intrigued, or even convinced, by the idea that purpose is a promising pathway to addressing so many of the challenges facing your company with respect to staff attraction and retention.

But what can you do if your company is not actively purpose-driven?

And once your company adopts a purpose, what can HR professionals do to embed it throughout their organization?

I’m thrilled to be answering these very questions in my upcoming workshop for CPHR.

Learn more about the new era of the Purpose-driven business and the role of HR Professionals at the HR Bootcamp on May 19 th .

 

Charla Vall is the founder & Principal at Vall Impact Company. Throughout her career, Charla has focused on addressing the root causes of society’s complex problems. Now, as an independent consultant, Charla helps impact-driven organizations gain the clarity, confidence and capacity to execute bold strategies that create real social and environmental change. 

 

References

  1. The Human Reality: Rethinking HR During the Great Resignation. Leger, May 4, 2022.   https://leger360.com/surveys/the-human-reality-rethinking-hr-during-the-great-resignation/
  2. The Human Reality: Rethinking HR During the Great Resignation. Leger, May 4, 2022.  https://leger360.com/surveys/the-human-reality-rethinking-hr-during-the-great-resignation/
  3. Fulwood, Alice. “ What’s behind the exploding number of shareholder resolutions on corporate purpose?” Money Talks, Spotify app., May 4, 2022. https://www.economist.com/podcasts/2022/05/04/whats-behind-the-exploding-number-of-shareholder-resolutions-on-corporate-purpose
  4. StrawberryFrog and RepTrak.  “Purpose Power Summit: How the Pandemic Changed Brand Purpose as We Know It”. Inc., June 2021. https://www.purposepowerindex.com/purpose-power-index-study-2021
  5. Bumb, Nikhil and Smith, Dane. “Companies that Lead With Authentic, Ambitious Purpose Can Capture Value From Six Sources”. Shared Value Initiative, July 24, 2019. https://www.sharedvalue.org/companies-that-lead-with-authentic-ambitious-purpose-can-capture-value-from-six-sources/
  6. “Putting Purpose to  Work: A study of purpose in the workplace”. PwC, June 2016. https://www.pwc.com/us/en/about-us/corporate-responsibility/assets/pwc-putting-purpose-to-work-purpose-survey-report.pdf
  7. “PN Purpose Tracker: Employee Perspectives on Responsible Leadership During a Crisis”. Porter Novelli, August 2020. https://www.porternovelli.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/02_Porter-Novelli-Tracker-Wave-X-Employee-Perspectives-on-Responsible-Leadership-During-Crisis.pdf
  8. “Putting Purpose to  Work: A study of purpose in the workplace”. PwC, June 2016. https://www.pwc.com/us/en/about-us/corporate-responsibility/assets/pwc-putting-purpose-to-work-purpose-survey-report.pdf

 

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.



2025 Year-End Message - Geordie MacPherson

By Jessica Jaithoo • December 17, 2025
As we close out 2025, I’m feeling genuinely proud of what CPHR Alberta has accomplished this year, and grateful for the members, volunteers, partners, and staff who made it possible. Together, we’ve continued to strengthen the value of the CPHR designation, expanded professional development opportunities, and deepened relationships with government, post-secondary institutions, and business leaders. This year also brought some milestones worth celebrating. We’re ending 2025 in a financially stable position, and our membership grew by 7% , which is a nice reminder that the HR community is thriving, and that we are still the kind of people others willingly choose to join. One of the most important pieces of work this year was launching our 2026–2028 Strategic Plan. This roadmap was shaped by member input, market research, and alignment with CPHR Canada’s national priorities. It’s the product of a truly collaborative process led by our Board and operations team, forward-looking, grounded in data, and practical in how it positions us for what’s next. At its core, the plan strengthens the HR profession and supports the people who drive it, reinforcing our commitment to a resilient and inclusive HR community. I encourage you to read it and see where we’re headed. View the Strategic Plan here. Our pursuit of self-regulation remains a priority, and our advocacy efforts this year continued to deepen relationships with government and position HR as a trusted profession. We’re making progress, ensuring HR’s voice is present in key policy conversations and recognized where it matters most. If nothing else, we are getting very good at showing up, staying thoughtful, and keeping the conversation moving forward. To build on this momentum, we’re currently recruiting two Chartered Members and up to one Public Members to join our Board. We’re looking for candidates with prior governance experience and strengths in areas such as strategic business leadership, financial management, legal expertise, or IDEA. It’s also important to us to have meaningful geographic representation from outside Calgary and Edmonton, because Alberta is bigger than two postal codes, and our Board should reflect that. You can learn more about the process and requirements through our blog , and I’d encourage you to apply or share the opportunity with someone who’d be a great fit. Applications close January 9, 2026. Chartered and Retired Members: Apply through your member portal Public Members: Contact Heather McMaster at hmcmaster@cphrab.ca for application details As the holiday season approaches, I hope you find time to rest, recharge, and take a moment to acknowledge what you’ve contributed this year, professionally and personally. Thank you for everything you do to advance the HR profession. I’m confident that, together, we’ll continue building something even stronger in 2026. And if your out-of-office message is already drafted, I respect the efficiency. Geordie MacPherson, CEC, CPHR, SHRM-SCP Chair, Board of Directors, CPHR Alberta

2025 Year-End Message - Ioana Giurca

By Jessica Jaithoo • December 17, 2025
As we close out 2025, I am proud to reflect on the incredible work our association has accomplished this year. With the support of CPHR Canada, we continue to strengthen a national network of over 33,000 HR practitioners and professionals, including more than 7,300 in Alberta. Our collaboration with provincial counterparts, post-secondary institutions, local chambers, and government partners remains central to promoting the value of hiring a designated professional and advancing consistent standards across Canada. This year, CPHR Alberta grew by 7%, with the majority of new members coming from students and emerging HR professionals—the future of our profession. Thank you to all our members for the work you do every day to elevate the profession. Operationally, 2025 was a year of engagement and impact. We hosted 76 events across Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, welcoming over 6,300 attendees to workshops, roundtables, webinars, and community sessions. Complimentary events played a key role in sustaining access to learning and connection for our members. Our Annual Conference was a highlight, bringing together a sold-out audience, a fully booked exhibitor space, and earning strong satisfaction ratings with 77% of attendees rating their experience positively. Thoughtful planning is already underway for our 2026 Conference on June 2 and 3 at the BMO Centre in Calgary, where expanded attendee capacity, increased exhibitor space, and enhanced programming will elevate the experience for HR professionals across our jurisdiction. Through our marketing campaign, we focused on raising awareness of the strategic value a CPHR brings to organizations. The results speak for themselves with 10% of new members joined after seeing our campaign, and website traffic increased by 17%, averaging over 55,000 views per month. In 2025, CPHR Alberta navigated Ministry changes, new mandate letters, and changes to professional governance. The Professional Governance Act (PGA) was introduced in the Spring of 2025 and received royal assent in May. This was a long-awaited and important step forward. CPHR Alberta operations and the Board are at work reviewing the legislation and anticipating the incoming regulations. We have continued our focus in broader advocacy and engagement to promote the profession as a leading voice, valued partner and knowledge expert. Throughout the year, we deepened our existing relationships, built new ones, and partnered on impactful projects at various levels of government and with community partners. We look forward to continuing to highlight the significance and impact of the profession within our organizations and communities throughout 2026. Looking ahead, we are excited to implement our 2026–2028 Strategic Plan , continue rolling out our new member recognition program, and shine a spotlight on our incredible HR community at our Member Recognition Gala in April. We will also advance our work toward self-regulation, ensuring the HR profession is recognized and trusted for its impact on organizations and communities. I want to thank our incredible team at CPHR Alberta and the many volunteers who make our work possible. Your dedication ensures we deliver value to our members and advance the HR profession every day. Thank you also to our Board of Directors for their guidance and leadership throughout the year.  As the holiday season approaches, I wish you joy, rest, and time to celebrate your accomplishments. Together, we are shaping the future of HR—and I look forward to all we will achieve in 2026. Ioana Giurca, CEO, CPHR Alberta

An Update from your Board of Directors – November 2025

By Jessica Jaithoo • December 4, 2025
As the governing voice of CPHR Alberta, the Board of Directors meets quarterly to provide oversight and guidance in several key areas. The Board, alongside CPHR Alberta operations, continues to deliver on the association's strategic priorities developed in the 2020 strategic plan. To ensure transparency between our Board of Directors, members and key stakeholders, we are sharing post-meeting messages to inform the steps taken towards advancing our profession and ensuring a financially stable association. The Board of Directors met on November 27, 2025, and is proud to share the strong momentum we are experiencing across our community. The Board’s key messages are as follows: Membership Growth As of September 30, 2025, we reached 7,213 active members, a 7% year-over-year increase, with the majority coming from student and emerging HR professionals. This growth affirms the momentum of our HR profession and the impact of our student engagement initiatives. Professional Development Member participation remains strong with 53 events held year-to-date, with 5,013 attendees across workshops, roundtables, webinars, and community sessions. Our complimentary events have played a key role in sustaining engagement and access to learning. Annual Conference The Annual Conference was a heavy focus for the association in Q3. The sold-out event continues to bring together our community for valuable professional development and networking opportunities, creating a strong foundation for 2026. Attendees reported high satisfaction, with over 370 in attendance, and a sold-out exhibitor hall. “The CPHR conference was incredibly educational and inspiring. The speakers motivated me, and it was an experience I’ll never forget. I really enjoyed it, grew closer to my team, and I definitely want to attend again.” – 2025 Conference Attendee The 2026 event will be held at the BMO Centre, in Calgary on June 2 and 3 – with increased capacity, expanded exhibitor space, and enhanced programming will elevate the experience for all HR professionals across Alberta, NWT and Nunavut. Self-Regulation The Board continues to assess the implications of Alberta’s Professional Governance Act (PGA), including: Advocacy, legal, and governance impact assessments are being commissioned. Preliminary recommendations from management will be brought to the Board in March and June 2026, leading to a formal decision. Further information will be shared, when ready.  Future Vision Approved: 2026-2028 Strategic Plan Our new 2026–2028 Strategic Plan will be rolled out in December to all members. The 3-year Strategic Plan, crafted from member feedback, market research, and collaboration with CPHR Canada – aims to strengthen our profession’s influence, amplifies leadership, and creates pathways for all members to thrive. Fiscal Responsibility Our Q3 financial review remains on track for a balanced year-end forecast. The 2026 draft budget has been approved – aligning resources with our strategic priorities while maintaining a disciplined and responsible financial approach. Board Governance Our board continues to focus on good governance practice, ensure stability, clarity, and accountability across our organization. FCPHR Nominations A reminder that the prestigious Fellowship Award is open for nominations! This national program recognizes Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHRs) who have made exemplary contributions to the HR profession. Recipients are granted recognition as a Fellow of the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (FCPHR). Click here to learn more about the Fellowship Award, including the guidelines and completing your nomination. You can also download a copy of the nomination form here. The next Board meeting takes place in March 2026, after which we will again share our key messages. If you have any questions regarding these key messages or the Board of Directors, please contact chair@cphrab.ca . We welcome your feedback!
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