From Passion to Pathos: Searching for Meaning and Belonging at Work

Publication: Medium

Authors: Carin-Isabel Knoop, David Jamieson & Dr Tarek Jomaa

Synthosys co-founder Dr Tarek Jomaa joined Carin-Isabel Knoop and David Jamieson in an article exploring how the quest for meaning at work has intensified since the pandemic.

The piece examined how the promise of “passion at work” can slip into pathos when organisations fail to provide belonging and clarity. Tarek argued that after Covid, people’s relationship with work has shifted: employees are no longer satisfied with shallow engagement — they are seeking purpose, connection, and sustainability in how they work.

He proposed a series of reflective questions for leaders and organisations, urging them to consider: What kind of culture are we really creating? How do we support belonging beyond slogans? Are we building workplaces that align with people’s true desires for meaning, or simply demanding resilience without support?

Takeaway: Passion alone doesn’t sustain people. To achieve real organisational effectiveness, leaders must design cultures where belonging, purpose, and meaning are woven into everyday practice.

👉 Read the full article on Medium