Why should leaders share the big picture with employees?

Employees who understand how their work contributes to strategy develop a greater sense of ownership and performance, and are more likely to stay.

What are the three components of the big picture?

The Why (purpose of the organization), the How (guiding principles and values), and the What (vision and goals).

How can leaders help employees see the bigger picture day-to-day?

Enable internal networking across roles, proactively share information about challenges and direction, and connect daily tasks to organizational purpose.

How to Help Employees Understand the Big Picture

Employees who understand how their work contributes to the strategy and business plan of the company, develop a greater sense of ownership and performance.

Your best people don't just want a paycheck. They want to know their work matters. They need to see the whole picture: how their daily tasks connect to the company's larger goals.

The iOpener Institute found a strong correlation between an employee’s belief in the company’s purpose and their decision to stay.

Related: 4 Traits of a Great Workplace

But getting that broader perspective to every desk? That’s hard. The way you share it determines everything. They either feel like a cog in a machine or they drive real outcomes. Here’s how you give them that view.

1. Give your employees the opportunity to see what others are doing

When you help employees build an internal network, they gain insight. They see how their role fits the company's mission.

A developer talks to a salesperson. She learns how her code directly impacts the client pitch. This connection reveals the immediate impact of daily work. It also builds mutual respect. People understand their colleagues’ work better.

2. Let employees know what’s going on

Employees can’t grasp the big picture if they don’t know what’s happening. Lane4, 2013, reported that 78% of staff felt their company didn’t communicate effectively. They wanted more information about their organization.

Leaders must close that gap.

Related: How to Engage and Retain Top Employees

You, as a leader, see the full landscape. Your team doesn’t. But often, you don’t share that view. You assume they know the challenges ahead. Or the new products launching next quarter. They don’t.

When you proactively share information, employees understand their context. They also feel like an important part of the organization.

3. The “Why” + “How” + “What” = The Big Picture

The "Why" is the Purpose of your organization

Businesses chase profit, yes. But they also exist to make a difference. To provide a product or service that meets a real need. Profit, then, becomes an outcome of pursuing those larger goals.

Everyone on the team must connect with that cause. They need to feel part of something meaningful. They must see how their daily activities contribute to it.

The “How” is the organization’s guiding principles

It's not just what you do. It's how you do it. Sheila L. Margolis, president of the Workplace Culture Institute, defines the 'How' as "the collection of values that capture what the organization stands for and its unique way of delivering on the Purpose."

To understand what sets your company apart, you must grasp its essence. Its personality. That character dictates how employees work. It sets the standards and values they follow. This enables the organization to hit its vision and goals.

The ‘Why’ and the ‘How’ form your organization’s core culture.

The “What” is the organization’s vision and goals

When employees grasp the 'Why' and 'How' – your core culture – their actions naturally align with the 'What.' That's your vision and goals.

Your strategy must clearly define the results for business success. It should also offer insight into the global conditions impacting the organization. This helps employees understand the actions they need to take. They can then adjust as conditions change.