The Fit Factor: Building Careers That Align with Purpose and Performance

A burnt-out employee will not fire up a company.

This powerful message left by Dr. Au Caday, one of the panelists at the SOHR Summit 2025, challenges HR leaders to rethink how they support their people and build careers.

So…are your employees truly engaged, or are they just “doing the 8 to 5 work” without real interest or commitment? How can you build careers that not only fit employees’ skills but also align with their values and purpose?

At the summit, a panel discussion, “The Fit Factor: Building Careers That Align with Purpose and Performance,” moderated by Atty Arlene. De Castro, Chief People and Customer Officer at Sprout Solutions, brought together experts to share their insights on how to build workplaces where people feel truly “fit”. The panelists include:

• Dr. Aika Buenavista – Lifestyle Medicine Specialist at mWell
• Maria Cristina Reclamado – Chief Human Resources Officer at Remote Staff
• Pierre Monserrate – Chief HR Advisor at FAST Logistics and Founder and Managing Director at tHRive Consultancy Corporation
• Dr. Au Caday – CHRO and SVP at Mama Lou’s Group Holdings Inc.

Why Career Fit Matters

The session opened with a quick pulse check from Atty. Arlene De Castro:  “Do you think you are a fit in terms of the skill sets you have in your organization?”

Only 25% of the audience raised their hands. The follow-up question“Are your personal values and mission aligned with your company’s mission?” elicited the same response. 

This highlights a common challenge in today’s workplaces: many employees feel disconnected either in skills or values, or both. What does this exactly mean? Many people are working in jobs that don’t fully match who they are or what they care about.

Atty. De Castro explained why career fit matters: “When your skills and values align with your work, your career becomes purposeful.” You don’t just do your tasks — you grow, you learn, and you feel connected to something bigger.

Personal Stories: Finding Purpose in Unexpected Places

The panelists’ personal stories showed that purpose often develops gradually and can come from surprising places.

• Ms. Reclamado began her journey studying film production and working as a TV reporter. She didn’t plan to work in HR, but her passion for supporting and advocating for her team led her there.  
• Starting out in computer programming for financial reasons, Mr. Monserrate soon realized that money wasn’t enough. A clear vision of “building people who build buildings” became his true purpose, guiding his long career in HR.
• Dr. Au Caday has always been passionate about teaching and empowering others. Although she didn’t become a traditional teacher, she found deep satisfaction in HR by creating workplaces that encourage growth and learning.
• After a health crisis, Dr. Aika Buenavista changed her career from being an ER doctor to lifestyle medicine. This new path fits her values better and shows how important well-being is in finding the right job.

Health and Well-Being as the Foundation of Performance

A key insight from Dr. Buenavista was the vital connection between health and performance. She emphasized that “there is no performance without health,” urging HR leaders to actively support employees’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

She described how wellness dashboards can help organizations identify employees at risk of stress, burnout, or other health issues. “You cannot fix what you don’t measure,” she said, stressing the importance of data-driven wellness programs.

Dr. Buenavista also highlighted that employees’ purpose can change over time, so regular conversations about motivation are essential. She recommended wellness initiatives tailored to different interests and generations, from wellness talks to sports clubs, and even rethinking pantry offerings to include healthier options.

Strategies for Building Purposeful Careers

The panelists shared practical approaches that HR leaders can use to help employees find and grow in roles that fit their purpose:

Personalized Career Pathing and Frequent Talent Reviews

Quarterly talent reviews at Dr. Caday’s company give employees clear insight into their career progress and help reduce turnover. Encouraging lateral moves also keeps employees engaged and fills roles faster.

Programs That Reflect Company Values and Employee Needs

Mr. Monserrate cautioned against generic, one-size-fits-all programs. He stressed the importance of aligning wellness and development initiatives with the company’s unique purpose and culture, ensuring that programs truly meet employees’ needs.

Recruitment as Lifestyle Selling

Ms.Reclamado described how Remote Staff approaches recruitment by offering candidates a lifestyle, not just a job. This clarity helps ensure a better fit from the start, especially for remote work arrangements.

Modeling a Culture of Wellness

Leading by example, Dr. Buenavista urged leaders to adopt healthy habits and respect work-life boundaries. She noted that younger generations, like Gen Z, are particularly skilled at setting boundaries, which organizations can learn from.

In a Q&A session, Atty. De Castro addressed how to identify when an employee’s personal goals no longer align with the organization. She pointed to quiet quitting—when employees do only the minimum required without real engagement—as a key warning sign.

She explained that engagement differs from satisfaction: an employee might be satisfied with their job but not truly engaged or connected. To catch early signs of disengagement, she recommended pulse surveys and mood check-ins that encourage open communication.

The “Fit Factor” panel reminded HR leaders that when purpose and performance come together, work becomes more than just a job; it becomes a meaningful journey. This alignment benefits both employees and organizations by boosting engagement, retention, and productivity.

For HR leaders, the challenge is to create environments where people feel truly “fit”, where skills, values, and purpose are aligned. By initiating authentic conversations, prioritizing well-being, and designing systems that reflect shared values, organizations can build careers that inspire and empower their people. 

Want to learn more about building careers that truly fit and boost employee engagement? 

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