There’s a particular kind of workplace problem that can be surprisingly difficult to spot. Everyone is getting the work done. Deadlines are being met, customers are being served, projects are moving forward and the team is delivering what it needs to deliver. The problem is what it’s taking to make that happen. People are starting early and staying late. Lunch is eaten at desks, if it’s eaten at all. Vacation gets postponed because there’s never a good time to take it. The

Imagine showing up to work knowing your ideas don’t matter. Decisions affecting your job are made behind closed doors, policies appear without explanation and feedback requests feel like a formality. Eventually, you stop offering ideas, raising concerns and pointing out problems. You keep your head down and do what you’re told. Now imagine the opposite: you’re asked for input before changes are made, your expertise is valued and you have reasonable autonomy in how you do