Being treated right at work shouldn’t be revolutionary…

TW: Workplace trauma, mistreatment, toxic behavior

Have you ever been mistreated at work? 

I’ve been screamed at, dealt with toxic coworkers, and micromanaged like no other. 

TBH: Almost everyone I know can name a moment they weren’t treated right at work. 

Like they’ve experienced:

👎🏽 A manager who humiliated them in front of a team
👎🏽 A toxic coworker who created drama
👎🏽 A promotion that went to someone less qualified
👎🏽 A policy that wasn’t supportive during a real life moment 

I mean just check out my manager horror stories from last week! 

But these examples aren’t just stories, they’re sooo much more. 

They’re indications that some of us (dare I say, a lot of us??)  aren’t being treated well at work. 

These bad experiences stick with employees long after they’ve left and can maybe impact how they show up at the next job and do things like speak up, ask for help, or even set boundaries. 

The worst part? For most companies, these moments aren’t tracked or even acknowledged. 

But they define the employee experience.

So today’s edition is all about that… employees just want to be treated well. 

And I get that everyone’s definition of being treated well is different, and it’s not always easy to pin down what HR can actually control. 

But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk about it. 

“Being treated well” might feel intangible, but its impact is anything but. It shapes trust, performance, and retention. 

So, let’s start with wtf being “treated right” even means.

What “treated right” actually means… 

Being “treated right” can feel ambiguous. Like what does that even mean!!! 

Some people confuse being “treated right” with things like constant praise, wellness perks, or unlimited PTO. 

And yes, those things can contribute to feeling appreciated but being treated right goes a bit deeper.

It’s also about things like clarity, respect, and trust in the everyday moments. That’s what shapes how people really feel at work. 

It can look different for each person but the throughline is simple, people want to feel: 

• Seen
• Heard
• Supported
• Respected 

In practice that can look like:

• Boundaries are respected. No yelling at others plz!  
• Experiences that aren’t dismissed. None of “that’s just how it is here” because ew. 
• Having clear goals and knowing how your success will be measured. How novel! 
• Being allowed to say “I don’t know” without fearof repercussions. 
• Managers asking how they can support you… not just what you’ve done lately. 
• Policies that acknowledge all of life’s moments like caregiving, grief, and mental health. 
• Not being punished for raising concerns. 

For some, it’s flexibility. For others, it’s feeling safe. 

For many, it’s about not having to work with jerks who make you brace before reading messages or emails. Been there, done that!

Being treated well isn’t just a feeling it’s the result of intentional systems and leadership.

So how can we make that a reality for employees?

Let’s talk about what HR can actually do.

What HR can do: 

It goes without saying, but I guess I’ll say it: WE HAVE TO care about the experience people are having at work because it impacts everything from retention, productivity, and even our reputation. 

Big reputation, big reputation

Ooh, you and me, we got big reputations

TBH: Treating employees right isn’t just a “vibe” thing, it’s an actual business strategy. 

We’re in an era of high burnout and low trust. Double whammy. 

That means “being treated right” isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a need-to-have. 

✨And that’s where we come in. ✨

I have two tips to double down on making sure your employees are being treated well.

Tip 1: Focus on the moments that matter. 

There are specific points in the employee journey where unfairness, confusion, or lack of care hit hardest like: 

• Onboarding
• Performance reviews
• Promotions
• Taking leave (parental, medical, bereavement)
• Coming back from leave
• Raising a concern
• Offboarding

Audit these critical moments for:

• Consistency: is everyone treated the same? 
• Clarity: are there clear expectations? 
• Humanity: is there empathy baked in? 

These are some of the most critical touchpoints that shape how employees remember their job and whether they want to stay.

The bottom line: if you read that list and thought, well we just wing it or do it differently depending on the person… your employees might not be having the best of times. 

Tip 2: Build systems that actually back it up. 

📣 If policies are the signal to your employees about how they’ll be treated then processes are how they’ll actually experience your workplace.

Every process decision HR makes from how we communicate, how we document, to what systems we use can either reinforce trust or chips away at it. 

✍🏽This checklist has questions to consider about your processes to ensure your employees are having a good experience. 

Bonus: There’s even tips for how to prioritize where to start! 

There’s so much we can do to ensure folks are having a good time at our orgs so that they don’t hate it here. 

Start with that checklist and I guarantee you’ll find at least 1 area that you can improve.

What’s next:

So far this quarter I’ve covered topics around how employees want to be valued & supported. 

Next up, the last pillar of what employees want… 

To be ✨ inspired ✨

So next week we’re digging into what that actually means!