While these experiences are not new — think back to how previous generations  said “I have to go to work” — our outlook has changed. Driven by myriad factors, like technological advancements, the climate crisis, and exposed social inequities, our mindset has evolved from accepting to curious. How can my work experience bring me satisfaction? We seek more value from our vocations.

Read more: A guide to setting sustainability goals and achieving results

While it’s important to understand how we got here, I’m going to skip to the end and talk about how we get out of here. And, importantly, the role we each play.

It’s simple, really: The solution for improving our work lives is for our workplace to better align to the things that are important to us — our values, our personal causes, our basic needs.

But what if we went one step farther? What if companies didn’t just become more transparent and forthcoming? What if they intentionally and proactively work to dissolve inequity and bias and bring out the best in every team member? Imagine if they created the conditions for people to thrive.

Thriving happens when we’re fulfilled in our work lives. While the onus is on employers to clearly and honestly convey the environment, compensation, and role they are offering, it is the employee’s responsibility to seek out an employer who offers an environment, compensation, and role that match their needs.

I started my career prioritizing one thing: doing work that engrained environmental accountability into business decisions. An education in Environmental Engineering lent well to being a sustainability advisor to companies like Kimberly-Clark, Native Shoes, and Tillamook. As luck would have it, I joined an international corporate sustainability firm during its nascence and contributed to its growth from 25 people to more than 200 across five countries, first as a consultant and the U.S. Operations Lead and later leading the global Sustainability Team. Now, as the COO at thinkPARALLAX, I’m driven to ensure we have an organizational design that propels us to achieve our vision.

Read more: CSRD readiness — Why U.S. companies should act now

Working at the intersection of operations and sustainability, the importance of intention and focus in a growing organization became utterly apparent to me. When we set people-positive and environmentally responsible foundations, companies scale resiliently.

As science has equipped us to understand planetary boundaries, with the imperative for business to operate in respect of those guardrails, my mind has wandered farther down the road of what it means to create a workplace where people can truly thrive.

I believe there are five traits of a fulfilling work experience:

1. Aligned

• The team member’s personal North Star aligns to the company’s purpose; A common vision for the future is shared.

2. Anchored

• Team members understand how the organization is designed and why, as well as their seat in it relative to others.
• They also understand the company’s financial status and are able to decide whether it meets their risk tolerance. 

3. Growth

• Every team member has resources to support their career development, including a partner and a monetary benefit.  Milestones (i.e., promotion and other company-defined guideposts) are clear and communicated proactively.
• Goals are set with near-term guideposts and long-term aspirations in mind.

4. Recognized

• Team members are recognized for reaching goals and milestones equitably and in ways that are meaningful to them.

5. Valued

• The workplace is a psychologically safe environment where team members can share as much of themselves as they choose. The outcome is a feeling of belonging.

Underpinning these traits is an essential notion that both a team member and the company must acknowledge: fulfillment is a two-way street. Both the team member and the company have responsibility. The team member must know and communicate what they need in a prioritized way. The company must create the conditions for fulfillment to be attained within the bounds of its values and its capacity.

That last point is important — within the bounds of its values and its capacity. Every company will have a unique purpose, set of values, financial health, philosophy for professional development, etc. It’s the job of the company to clearly articulate those details. It’s the job of a team member (or potential team member) to decide if those are conditions that fulfill them, and leave (or decline the offer) if they are not.

Here are some examples of how that two-way street plays out:

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Of course, there’s no one-size-fits all framework for creating a fulfilling workplace. Different internal systems and practices are needed for different businesses. And at different times in a company’s life cycle, those dynamics will need to evolve to better serve the business.

As individuals, our needs may change over time, as well. New priorities may be incongruent with what a current employer can offer, and that’s normal. It’s not up to business leaders to change its practices to serve you; it’s up to you to find an organization that offers the conditions for you to thrive, whatever that needs to be at this moment.

Businesses are living entities that shape and amplify societal norms. It’s time we leverage the power of business to set the right ones.