Meaningful Discussions at Work: Why They Matter, and How to Make Them Happen

Americans spend a significant portion of their time at work. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American works 34.5 weekly hours, or roughly 20 percent of each week. Assuming workers get an average of seven hours of sleep a night, that means we spend almost 30 percent of all our waking time on the job.

Given these figures, it’s important to understand why creating a workplace culture that helps employees feel fulfilled will result in greater levels of happiness, as well as improved employee retention rates. This is a complex undertaking, of course, but one effective strategy focuses on the conversations happening at work.

Here’s why meaningful discussions matter, and how to promote them within your office:

Conversations promote intellectual curiosity.

A 2017 State of Company Culture report by Snack Nation found 61 percent of engaged employees said their workplace positively challenged them, while just 12 percent of unengaged workers felt challenged at work. In 2015, a Rackspace survey found that 63 percent of employees believe curiosity plays an important role in business revenue growth.