{"id":884682,"date":"2026-04-27T17:49:06","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T21:49:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.steelcase.com\/?p=884682"},"modified":"2026-04-28T15:13:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T19:13:25","slug":"conversations-why-mattering-matters-with-zach-mercurio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.steelcase.com\/research\/articles\/conversations-why-mattering-matters-with-zach-mercurio\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Mattering Matters with Zach Mercurio"},"content":{"rendered":"

People want their work to matter, yet they\u2019re often expected to care without being shown they are cared for. Researcher Zach Mercurio, author of \u201cThe Power of Mattering,\u201d joined the Work Better Podcast <\/a> to explore how \u201cmattering\u201d \u2014 feeling seen, valued and needed \u2014 is a basic human need and a powerful performance driver.<\/p>\n

Work Better:<\/strong> What is \u201cmattering\u201d and how is it different from belonging or inclusion?<\/p>\n

Zach Mercurio:<\/strong> Belonging is being welcomed into a group and inclusion is being invited to participate. Mattering goes a step further. It\u2019s the lived experience of being significant to those around you. It\u2019s everyday interactions that help people feel seen, heard and essential, not just present. That distinction matters: Mattering is foundational, a primal human need that fuels motivation and wellbeing.<\/p>\n

WB:<\/strong> Why should leaders care about mattering when they\u2019re under pressure to drive productivity?<\/p>\n

ZM:<\/strong> You can\u2019t get sustained productivity without people feeling they matter. When people feel valued first, they build the confidence and energy that power quality and quantity of work \u2014 the outcomes organizations seek. Treating these skills as \u201csoft\u201d has led many teams to overlook the
\nrigor required to cultivate them.<\/p>\n

WB:<\/strong> What are practical ways to build a culture where people feel significant?<\/p>\n

ZM:<\/strong> Think in moments. Three repeatable practices are key: notice, affirm and show people they\u2019re needed. Ask better questions that invite real answers (\u201cWhat has your attention today?\u201d), then affirm with specific, meaningful gratitude that names the situation, behavior, person\u2019s unique gifts and impact. Finally, make the impact visible. Collect stories, photos or customer feedback and say, \u201cLook what you did,\u201d so no one has to guess how their work helps others.<\/p>\n

WB:<\/strong> How can the workplace reinforce mattering?<\/p>\n

ZM:<\/strong> Design visible links between daily tasks and bigger outcomes. One example: NASA sketched a \u201cladder to the moon,\u201d mapping each unit\u2019s work to mission goals so people
\nsaw why their role was indispensable. Also, create places for caring conversations that\u00a0 build trust. Make it easier \u2014 not harder \u2014 for leaders to notice and support people.<\/p>\n

Keep Listening:<\/h3>\n

Hear Part 2 (S6: E11) of our conversation with Zach. Search \u201cWork Better\u201d wherever you get your podcasts, then follow or subscribe.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

People want their work to matter, yet they\u2019re often expected to care without being shown they are cared for. Researcher<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60004,"featured_media":884865,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"topic":[],"class_list":["post-884682","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nZach Mercurio on the Value of Mattering at Work | Steelcase<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Zach Mercurio joins Steelcase for a conversation about the importance of creating a workplace culture that helps people feel seen, valued and needed.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.steelcase.com\/research\/articles\/conversations-why-mattering-matters-with-zach-mercurio\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" 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