The banking sector is a challenging work environment. Its fast pace, long hours, and high stakes can take a toll on employees. A recent Gallup poll found out that 3 out of 4 employees are likely to suffer from burnout at some point in their careers.

Banco Popular is the leading bank in Puerto Rico and takes pride in being an industry leader in every possible way, from technology to human resources. In 2023, it was about to unveil a new corporate purpose, its first major revision in decades. Coming up with this company purpose was no easy task. At once, the purpose had to reflect the bank’s century-old legacy but also show its pioneering spirit, especially in a corporate environment that had radically changed since the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a process that took almost a year and included representatives from all the bank’s divisions.

The biggest challenge of all, however, was how to communicate this new purpose to the bank’s almost 10,000 employees. Company purposes are usually dry, generic statements. And that is not how an industry-leading pioneer communicates.

Inspired by the pillars of our new company purpose, we created 5 Minutes with Purpose, a daily meditation program designed to help the bank’s staff be better employees by first becoming better, healthier persons. All the meditations were written using the values established by the bank’s new company purpose. They were recorded in the style of popular audio meditations, with relaxing music, soothing sound effects, and calm narrations.

The new bank’s purpose was divided into four main pillars. First, Passion for People. Second, Own Every Moment. Third, Succeed Together. Fourth, Build the Future.

As we developed these pillars, one truth was more than evident: more than helping the audience be better employees, it helped them be better people. More than just a company purpose, these could be used as a guide to lead a meaningful life. It was a unique opportunity to help our staff not just learn the new company purpose. To truly become part of the company culture, it was better to teach our employees how to be mindful of our purpose.

5 Minutes with Purpose was launched by the company’s CEO along with the new purpose as the recommended way to get to know and embrace Popular’s new mission statement. The meditations are shared regularly through the bank’s internal communications channels.

With about 8,000 unique listeners, or 80% of the bank’s staff regularly listen to the meditations and have made them part of their daily routines across every division in Puerto Rico, the United States, and the Virgin Islands. Besides being an ingenious way of sharing a company purpose, which are typically generic internal communications, 5 Minutes with Purpose provides a valuable tool to employees that brings them closer to the company culture. Most importantly, it proves that caring for employee mental health is the best investment a bank can make.