You know that old saying, “Find a job you love and you never work a day in your life”?

I think the workplace, and the relationships you experience within it, play a pretty big part in that. I am going to tell you a little story.

Trust at the start of my career

Fresh out of university, I got a junior-level role in an NHS organisation. That organisation, and a few key individuals, have a special place in my heart. I was on the first rung of my career ladder: excited, inquisitive and keen to make a positive impact.

I had a project to deliver, threw myself into it and started getting results. My line manager and director responded by trusting me and making time for conversations about what I was noticing and learning. I was rewarded with exposure to other areas of work, connections beyond the department, agenda items in our team meetings and a great deal of encouragement. We would socialise from time to time.

I only left because I was due to join a national graduate training scheme, but that organisation set the bar for my experience high.

A senior team that worked as a team

Years later, I joined another NHS organisation as a member of a divisional senior leadership team. My experience and knowledge were trusted. I contributed both to the work I was directly responsible for and to the work of colleagues in other fields.

The senior leadership team gelled. Topics and approaches could be debated, problems could be surfaced and everyone walked away with positive working relationships intact. We broke issues and solutions down and built them back up together, leading to stronger results. We also socialised regularly — I was responsible for organising picnics in our local park.

My director allowed me to deputise for her at network meetings, made time for one-to-one conversations, encouraged me to identify inefficiencies and welcomed proposals to improve them. When I shared sensitive issues, she recognised the courage it took and responded in a way that reflected the trust I had placed in her.

A workplace full of confidence and connection

While I was at university, I worked part-time at Bravissimo. There was a lot of laughter in our workplace. We had a bra allowance so that we were always wearing well-fitting bras — after all, we were selling their benefits.

The culture was one where we openly complimented one another, noticing when an outfit looked good and asking what bra was helping underneath. When new stock arrived, we would all have a rummage in the stockroom, find our sizes, try things on and admire the fit, colour or style. We shared that excitement with our customers.

I have never felt so positive about my own body as when I worked there. Work was not a chore; I was spending time with friends. The customers benefited too, because we wanted them to feel fabulous, confident and comfortable. We socialised outside work fairly regularly.

What these workplaces had in common

Looking back, I notice four common features within their cultures:

  • High trust, autonomy and accountability
  • Challenge was welcomed and managed skilfully, so it was not a threat
  • New ideas were welcomed and tested with supportive safety nets
  • There was space for social connection

The cultures I experienced in these three workplaces have been a marker for me. They did not happen by accident. They took effort. Everyone was responsible for how they showed up and the culture we created together.

These experiences demonstrate what is possible. Two of the roles were in highly regulated public-sector organisations. I have since supported organisations across the country to improve their culture and staff experience, making a significant difference to their people and those they serve.

They are fundamental to why I created Yew Thrive. I know it is possible to create positive workplaces that enhance the lives of those working in them while delivering great services, innovation and financial aspirations.

What made your favourite workplace special?

Think about a time when you felt excited about a new job, only to find within a year — or less — that it had not lived up to what you had in mind. How much of that was about the role itself? How much was about how you were able to carry it out? Did you feel you had a say in how work was done? Were systems and processes getting in the way of the valuable or enjoyable parts?

Now think about a job you have really loved. What made it your favourite?