Want to Know the Secret Ingredient for the Best Workplace Ever?

It’s something easily overlooked but crucially important

I know my career hasn’t been decades-long, but I’ve had many different job experiences that have run the gamut from, “best working conditions imaginable,” to “this is so awful I need therapy.”

I’ve also spent quite a bit of time thinking, writing, and talking about work culture with my friends, family, and colleagues. I’ve given a lot of thought to what exactly made my best workplace so wonderful, and recently, I had an epiphany.

To set you, as an employee, up for success, employers need to treat you very simply: with trust and with respect.

Don’t think that trust and respect alone are enough to work wonders on a company’s culture? Think again.

What does it mean to be respected and trusted by your workplace?

For the most part, we spend 40 or more hours per week working hard for our employers. Some employers think that because they are paying you for your time, their contribution is complete. They’ve sealed their half of the deal, and now you just need to put up with whatever comes your way so you can uphold your own end of the bargain.

This arrangement might be okay for you, but having a workplace that not only compensates you appropriately but also trusts and respects you? That’s the golden opportunity.

Employers who trust and respect you:

• Provide substantial support, especially as you get oriented. This ensures that everybody is on the same page as quickly as possible, and you can start being a productive member of the team sooner rather than later.
• Allow you to be a steward of your own time. They’re not micromanaging you, checking in every half hour, or hovering near your desk to make sure you’re actually working. They know you will get the job done, and if that means you need to take a half hour walk at lunchtime to clear your head, then that’s perfectly fine.
• Let you flex your skills and try new things. For example, at one of my previous employers, I was encouraged and supported as I learned a new video editing software, how to write and record podcasts, and how to film impactful educational videos.
• Listen to your concerns. Employers who care will try to resolve issues rather than papering over them with empty promises, or, at worst, gaslighting.

To get a better idea of what to avoid, check out my article about toxic work culture:

Why do respect and trust matter?

Being treated with respect and trust aren’t only good things for you as an employee, but that kind of treatment can have a huge ROI for your employer.

At one outstanding workplace, I was treated with respect and trust from day one. I received substantial on-the-job training, support, and guidance. My managers and colleagues believed in me — even when I felt unsure of myself.

As a result, I grew as a person and as a worker. Not only did I feel confident as an employee, but I was able to contribute top-notch work soon after my start date and with great efficiency.

As Kristie Rogers writes in Harvard Business Review, “Employees who say they feel respected are more satisfied with their jobs and more grateful for — and loyal to — their companies. They are more resilient, cooperate more with others, perform better and more creatively, and are more likely to take direction from their leaders.”

What employer wouldn’t want to cultivate employees who are satisfied, loyal, cooperative, creative, and high-performing? When seen in this light, trust and respect aren’t simply nice-to-haves, they are must-haves.

How do you spot a workplace built on respect and trust?

If an employer really does respect and trust its employees, you won’t have to search very hard to find the supporting evidence. For example, one of my past workplaces was committed to HR best practices, such as using a career committee to determine promotions and raises (as opposed to one manager that may or may not be biased), regular check-ins with HR folks (as opposed to stilted feedback sessions with a boss), and, as mentioned before, lots of on-the-job training and support.

At my previous job in healthcare research, I was treated like the expert from the very beginning. Because my employer believed in me wholeheartedly and offered me all the support I needed, I became that expert super quickly. It was easy to live up to expectations when I was treated as though I was 100% capable of exceeding them.

Don’t settle for a workplace where you’re constantly made to feel inadequate. If they’re not treating you well, don’t be afraid to leave. I left a job last year, and it was one of the best choices I’ve ever made.

In short, look for an employer that has that secret ingredient — respect and trust. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.