Career Fulfillment: How Leaders and Employees Build Success

Key Takeaways: Our research reveals that career fulfillment follows a clear pattern: employees with 8 or more of the 10 attributes are "prospering" — they're 3x more likely to choose their career again, report 2.8x better physical health, and show 1.6x higher productivity. Meanwhile, nearly 2 in 3 workers with 3 or fewer attributes are actively job hunting. The takeaway? Career fulfillment is cumulative and linear — the more attributes you build, the better your outcomes. Rather than chasing new opportunities that trade away what you already have, focus on building missing attributes in your current role.

Zachary Warman, M.S.

November 18, 2025

Throughout our exploration of career fulfillment, we've uncovered the 10 key attributes that define truly satisfying careers, examined their powerful impact on both personal and professional outcomes, and analyzed how these elements manifest across different demographic groups. Now it's time to tackle the most practical question: How do we put this knowledge into action?

Our research has revealed that building a fulfilling career isn't just about checking boxes or following a preset path. It's about understanding how to cultivate and maintain these attributes in ways that work for both individuals and organizations. Let's explore what this means for everyone involved in the career development journey.

10 attributes for a fulfilling career

How can leaders and employees act on these findings?

Whether you're an organizational leader supporting employees to find the right fit, or an employee trying to find your way to the most fulfilling career possible, our study has insights for you.

What should organizational leaders do?

Gallup reports that regular career development conversations improve employee engagement and retention.

Run quarterly career check-ins focused on which attributes employees are building next.
Share internal mobility stories that show real paths to Career Identity, Stability, and status.
Map skills to roles and fund targeted learning that supports growth and Career-Life Integration.

What should employees do?

When looking for your next career opportunity, whether inside your current organization or elsewhere, it's important not to chase the next shiny object.

List the attributes your current role already supports, then protect them in any move.
Identify the 1–2 missing attributes you want next and define what “enough” looks like.
Use informational interviews and job-posting research (including guidance from Indeed) to validate fit before applying.
Ask your manager or HR partner for a specific plan: projects, stretch work, mentors, and learning.

This approach helps you maintain what you have while building areas like Career Identity, Purpose, and Career-Life Integration.

Why do combined career attributes drive stronger outcomes?

The reason these recommendations matter so much becomes clear when we look at the cumulative impact of career attributes. While it's evident that each dimension is related to important outcomes for the individual and the organization, no single dimension is sufficient. Our study revealed an important insight: the cumulative effect of multiple career-fulfilling attributes has a much greater impact on outcomes than simply excelling in one or two.

Using cluster analysis, researchers found that while the effect of career fulfillment is generally linear, there are crucial tipping points.
The 39% of employees with 3 or fewer attributes are struggling across the board on key outcomes, while the 29% who have amassed 8 or more attributes are prospering.
Life satisfaction: Prospering employees are 2.6x more likely to report satisfaction with their lives.
Career repeat choice: Prospering employees are 3x more likely to say they would choose the same career all over again.
Physical health: Prospering employees are 2.8x more likely to say their physical health is better.
Mental health: Prospering employees are 2.5x more likely to say their mental health has improved in the last year.
Productivity and quality: Prospering workers are 1.6x more likely to say their productivity and quality of work have increased in the past year.

Nearly 2 in 3 workers with fewer than three attributes are actively seeking a new role — 1.5x that of their prospering counterparts.

What steps build fulfilling careers?

For each individual, the definition of a fulfilling career is indeed quite personal. However, this research shows that these 10 major attributes, when combined, lead to the greatest success for a variety of life outcomes. There is a reason they call it "building a career." While different employees may choose to prioritize some over others, more attributes are better.

The integration of these attributes allows employees to not only thrive in their current roles but also look back on their life choices with few regrets. Organizations that prioritize them are more likely to cultivate environments where employees feel engaged and motivated. Understanding and fostering career fulfillment is essential for sustaining productivity, retaining talent, and enhancing overall organizational success.

Employees who acquire these attributes in their careers have lower daily stress, better health outcomes, and contribute more — both inside and outside of the workplace. Ultimately, a fulfilling career is one where employees feel valued, empowered, and aligned with their goals — both personal and professional.

Frequently asked questions

What is career fulfillment?

Career fulfillment is how well your work consistently delivers the attributes that matter most to you (such as growth, purpose, stability, and strong relationships) while fitting your life outside of work.

How do I find career fulfillment?

Identify your top 3 attributes.
Assess your current role against them.
Build one missing attribute with a clear plan.
Recheck progress quarterly and adjust.

Which attributes make a career fulfilling?

The 10 attributes that make a career fulfilling include Career Identity, Career-Life Integration, Connection with colleagues, Growth, Purpose, Satisfaction, Stability, Status, Pride in products and services, and Learning opportunities.

In our study, employees with 8 or more of these attributes were 3x more likely to say they would choose the same career all over again.

How can leaders help employees build career fulfillment?

Hold regular career check-ins that focus on which attribute an employee is building next.
Create visible internal mobility paths and share examples of successful moves.
Fund role-relevant development tied to skill needs and career goals.
Remove barriers to flexibility so employees can improve Career-Life Integration.

Learn more about career fulfillment

Want to explore how these findings and others could transform your workplace? Schedule a meeting with our team to discuss how we can help your organization.